India face a tricky path to qualification for a second consecutive World Test Championship final. They currently sit fourth on the WTC final table and while Sri Lanka are third, their rivals to getting there would be South Africa and Australia. India have to ensure that they win most of the remaining six matches in the current cycle and not lose any.
They have begun their final push for the spot in emphatic fashion, taking control of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram at the end of Day 2. The hosts have been reduced to 133/8 in reply to India's 404. Head coach Rahul Dravid has said that the team is not looking too far ahead and are just taking every Test as it comes.
“It is one step at a time. I don't think we can start looking at the sixth one before we start here. We have got to win this one first. We have to play our best cricket to give ourselves a chance and then go to Dhaka and replicate. Just take it as we go,” said Dravid in an interview on BCCI.tv.
Four of their matches will be at home against Australia. Australia also host South Africa in a three-match Test series starting on Saturday. It means that the current top two can take major hits on their win percentage in the coming months, especially Australia who face the daunting task of facing India at their home. Australia have not been able to beat India in a Test series, home or away since 2015.
{{/usCountry}}Four of their matches will be at home against Australia. Australia also host South Africa in a three-match Test series starting on Saturday. It means that the current top two can take major hits on their win percentage in the coming months, especially Australia who face the daunting task of facing India at their home. Australia have not been able to beat India in a Test series, home or away since 2015.
{{/usCountry}}“We know we have a challenge in our hands, we have to win a majority of the games we have left in the championship. But we are not going to get there if we don't take the first steps well. We have to focus on this one and then see how the cards fall and then we will see what we have to do in the series against Australia,” said Dravid.