BGT 2023: Can Australia Reach WTC Final in 2023 despite Losing to India by 0-4?
BGT 2023: India has been on top in the four-match Test series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Rohit and co. won the first match at Nagpur by an innings and 132 runs.
They also won the second Test match at New Delhi by six wickets and also lead the series by a margin of two nil. After the win in Arun Jaitley Stadium, Team India retained the BGT Trophy yet again.
India can also qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals in 2023 which would be played at The Oval in England.
Under Virat Kohli, team India was the runner-up of that ICC event of the Test format. India lost to New Zealand in the WTC Final which was played in 2021.
By winning the first two matches and retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy, India has not harmed its chances for the WTC Final qualification.
Australia needs to avoid a whitewash to keep their hopes alive
Cummins and co. need to put a step forward in the last two Test matches in this BGT 2023 series. Their performance and tactics have gone wrong in the first two Test matches so far.
The Aussies haven’t performed like a number one unit so far. To make it to the finals of the WTC event on 7th June 2023 at the Oval, Australia needs to avoid 4-0 whitewash in the Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
The next match of this red ball series will be played at India’s fortress. India hasn’t lost a match played in Holkar Stadium at Indore till now.
That Test was scheduled to be played at Dharamshala earlier. The Aussies are the number one side in the WTC rankings. But if they continue to lose, then their points percentage will come down.
After losing the Test matches in Nagpur and Delhi, Australia’s percentage has been reduced to 66.67. India has been a much better team than Australia in the series so far.
India will certainly look to whitewash the Aussies by winning the two remaining Test matches at Indore and Ahmedabad. While the visitors, Australia, need to win or draw both matches to qualify.
Sri Lanka can jump up as the second finalist if Australia lose 4-0
Australia’s chances look slim despite being the world number ranked Test side. That is because they have underperformed as a whole unit on this tour of India.
The home side looks favourite to whitewash the Aussies in his BGT series 2023. If the visitors, Australia loses this series by a margin of 4-0, then Sri Lanka will qualify for the WTC Finals in 2023.
Now Australia should look to win the last two red ball matches of this BGT 2023 series. That will allow them to stop the Lankan Tigers from entering the final spot of this ICC mega event in the red ball format.
Sri Lanka will play a Test match series on New Zealand’s soil. That is again a tougher contest for a side like Sri Lanka.
If Sri Lanka wins this series of the Test format, then the Lankan Tigers are through. For Australia, if they lose the next two matches then they will wait for the result between SL Vs NZ to qualify.
Sri Lanka has a lot to take a stake in this series which begins Thursday, 9th March 2023 Hagley Oval in Christchurch.