India's WTC Hopes Dented After Historic Home Series Loss to New Zealand

India's World Test Championship (WTC) aspirations have suffered a significant setback following their historic home series defeat to New Zealand. After losing the first Test in Pune, India succumbed to a 113-run defeat in the second Test, marking their first home Test series loss since 2012.

The second Test witnessed India collapsing to 245 all out in their second innings, handing New Zealand a series victory. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's valiant 77 off 65 balls, India crumbled under the relentless pressure of Mitchell Santner, who claimed 13 wickets over two innings. A promising 62-run stand between Jaiswal and Shubman Gill had raised hopes, but New Zealand's disciplined bowling proved too much for the Indian batting lineup.

India's position in the WTC standings has taken a hit. Before the second match, Rohit Sharma's team led the table with a percentage (PCT) of 68.06. However, back-to-back losses to New Zealand have dropped their PCT to 62.82, narrowing their path to the final. Australia sit close behind at 62.50, followed by Sri Lanka at 55.56.

To stay on course for the WTC final at Lord's next summer, India must perform impeccably in their remaining fixtures. They have one more match against New Zealand before heading to Australia for a crucial five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Winning at least four of these six remaining games will give them a strong chance of securing a spot in the final.

However, if India falter, they'll have to rely on favourable outcomes from other series. Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa's upcoming clashes will heavily influence India's prospects. Notably, Sri Lanka's matches against Australia and South Africa could make or break India's hopes.

Though the road ahead is steep, India remain in the hunt. Success against Australia will be critical if they aim to reach their third consecutive WTC final. The team now faces the challenge of rediscovering form and maintaining consistency under pressure.

Tags: #WorldTestChampionship, #India, #NewZealand, #HomeSeriesLoss, #MitchellSantner