5 Key Takeaways from India’s Defeat to Australia in 3rd Test, Impacting WTC Final Qualification: India faced a crushing defeat at the hands of Australia in the 3rd Test match, losing by nine wickets. This loss not only handed Australia a much-needed victory, but it also made India’s path to the World Test Championship final complicated.
Here are the key takeaways from India’s defeat to Australia in the 3rd Test:
- Nathan Lyon’s exceptional performance: The seasoned off-spinner Nathan Lyon was the biggest architect of Australia’s win, grabbing eight wickets in the Indian second innings on day two of the match at Holkar Stadium. His figures of 8-64 spun a web around the Indian batters, making it almost impossible for them to put up a fight.
- India’s poor batting performance: India’s batting performance was below par in both innings of the match. They were bowled out for 109 in their first innings, and in the second innings, they were dismissed for 163. The batsmen failed to put up a fight, and they were no match for the Australian bowlers.
- Australia’s good form: Australia bounced back strongly after losing the first two matches of the Border-Gavaskar trophy. They played like a well-oiled machine, and their bowlers and batsmen delivered when it mattered the most.
- India’s path to the WTC final: India’s loss in the 3rd Test has made their path to the World Test Championship final complicated. To qualify for the final, India needs to win the 4th and final Test at Ahmedabad. A loss or even a draw would take the fate away from their own hands, and they would have to rely on New Zealand to qualify. Sri Lanka is the only other team that can qualify for the WTC final at India’s expense. In case India loses or draws the Ahmedabad Test, then New Zealand should either beat or draw Sri Lanka in at least one of the two Tests.
- The ideal scenario for India: The ideal scenario for India is to win the series 3-1 and go through to the final without any help. Even if they are not able to do that, they can breathe a bit easy as New Zealand enjoys a good record in home conditions, having held England to a 1-1 draw recently. For Sri Lanka to win 2-0 is not going to be easy, especially given their recent Test performances.
India’s Defeat to Australia in 3rd Test
India’s defeat to Australia in the 3rd Test has made their path to the World Test Championship final complicated. However, they still have a chance to qualify for the final, provided they win the 4th and final Test at Ahmedabad. It will be interesting to see how India bounces back from this defeat and what kind of strategy they adopt in the final match of the series.
