Gambhir, Rohit survive Kanpur scare as New Zealand stand between India and a WTC final ticket after Bangladesh sweep
Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma heaved a sigh of relief following a sensational Test and series win in Kanpur, which subsequently kept India's WTC hopes alive.
A Kanpur fiasco amid the rain and Sri Lanka's historic Test series sweep at home against New Zealand left India in trouble over the weekend. Favourites to make the World Test Championship final for the third straight time in history, India saw their chances diminish significantly as possibilities of a draw at the Green Park stadium increased marginally after a washed-out Day 2 and 3 of the second Test against Bangladesh. But head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday following a sensational Test and series win in Kanpur, subsequently keeping India's hopes alive.
After just 35 overs were possible on Day 1, where the final session was rained out, wet outfield conditions at the venue, which sparked questions on the dismal drainage system, led to Day 2 and 3 being abandoned without a ball being bowled. This could have given Bangladesh some respite, who were then placed at 107/3, having suffered a heavy defeat in the series opener in Chennai last month.
India, on the other hand, were left in a precarious spot over their WTC fate, especially after Sri Lanka jumped to third place in the table following a 2-0 whitewash against New Zealand at home. Had it been a draw, India would have required five wins and a draw from their remaining eight Tests, which comprised a home series against the Blackcaps and a tour of Australia.
But India came out all guns blazing on Monday as the weather in Kanpur finally cleared up. The bowlers picked up the remaining seven wickets for just 126 runs, before the batters scored at a breakneck pace of over 8 runs per over before declaring at 285 for nine. With 45 minutes still left on the clock, R Ashwin reduced Bangladesh to 26 for two.
On Tuesday, India took close to three hours to wrap up Bangladesh, who looked in absolute disarray, for just 146 runs in the second innings, thus setting themselves up a target of 95 runs. India chased down the total in 17.2 overs for the loss of two wickets, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a second consecutive fifty in the match.
What India now need to make the WTC final after Bangladesh sweep?
India remain at the top of the WTC table with a PCT of 74.24 after eight wins in 11 matches in this cycle and have now inched closer to guaranteeing themselves a ticket to the finale. India need just three more wins from their remaining eight Test matches to confirm the berth, implying a whitewash against beleaguered New Zealand, who stand seventh in the table with just three wins in eight matches, would take Rohit's men to the final irrespective of the result in the Australia tour.
India will play three Tests against New Zealand between October 16 and November 5 across Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai.
