The India Test team is currently playing a Test series against New Zealand. The Men in Blue, who are in whites, are one down after losing a Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets and are currently facing trouble here on the spinner-friendly surface in Pune. This was unexpected, as India, the current WTC toppers, have had impressive outings in their last few series and are also maintaining an 18-series winning streak at home. However, the 19th series is now giving them some challenges in this short three-match test series.
But there is no hidden fact, India is known for making comebacks. We have seen this in the past during their last overseas Test tour in South Africa. In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they pulled off a remarkable turnaround, which means there are still chances for them here. And all of this is happening as they aim to get a spot in the WTC finals. Not to forget, India has reached the last two WTC finals and will surely look to enter a third as well.
So, how many matches will India need to win if they secure this thriller in Pune? See what the probability of them getting to the WTC finals would be then.
How can India qualify for the WTC final in 2025?
Despite losing in Bengaluru, India is still sitting at the top of the WTC standings with a percentage of 68.06 after 12 games. Before the series, the situation was straightforward, India needed just three wins out of the remaining Test matches. Even after the first game against New Zealand, they still needed three wins. Currently, the scenario remains simple, if they win, they will need to secure two out of five remaining matches.
However, if India fails to make their mark with a second consecutive loss against New Zealand, their PCT will drop to 62.82. then, they will need to win four upcoming matches, out of one left in Mumbai against New Zealand and five in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where they will look to make a massive impact.
If they fail to perform, it’s worth noting that the WTC table is fluctuating. The current table toppers are still not guaranteed a spot in the WTC final. If they lose, they will have to depend on other teams results.
WTC Points table
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT |
| 1 | India | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 98 | 68.06 |
| 2 | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 62.5 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4 | South Africa | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 47.62 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 44.44 |
| 6 | England | 18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 93 | 43.06 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 30.56 |
| 8 | Pakistan | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 28 | 25.93 |
| 9 | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 18.52 |
