After retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with two back-to-back wins over Australia, India suffered a defeat in the 3rd Test. Placed second on the World Test Championship points table, India can seal its spot in the WTC final with a win over Australia in the 4th Test. India can also enter the final with a draw only if Sri Lanka fail to whitewash New Zealand in the ongoing two-match Test series.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Sri Lanka lacks the ability to outclass New Zealand in the two-match Test series and that India will qualify for the WTC final.
Also read: IND vs AUS 4th Test: Usman Khawaja Gets 100, Australia Ends the Day on High
“It’s a great setting when people are there, every seat was taken. World Test Championship takes for India, on the verge of getting there. I think India will get there. I don’t think Sri Lanka are capable of upsetting New Zealand,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
If India suffer a defeat in the fourth Test, they can only seal their spot if New Zealand end up avoiding a 2-0 series defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. “So I believe, India are already in the final. But, you still have to actually, you know, officially get there. So that tension was there. Plus the series hanging the way it has, Australia making that brilliant comeback in Indore and plus a figure like Narendra Modi at the ground. That buzz was there. Every box was ticked before the start of this Test,” he added.