Rahul Dravid backs India to remain in contention for the WTC final but warns that the upcoming two-Test series in New Zealand will be a major challenge.
IMAGE: Despite a good start to the tour of Sri Lanka, Rahul Dravid believes India has a tough road ahead to the World Test Championship final. Photograph: BCCI
Key Points
- Rahul Dravid states India has ‘fallen behind’ in the race to qualify for the World Test Championship final.
- India is currently placed fifth in the WTC points table and faces an uphill battle to secure a top-two spot.
- The upcoming two-Test series in New Zealand will be a significant challenge for the young Indian team due to unfamiliar conditions and the absence of experienced players like Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
- Dravid also anticipates a highly competitive five-Test series against Australia at home from January 2027, with Australian players keen to win in India.
Former head coach Rahul Dravid says India have slightly “fallen behind” in the race to qualify for the World Test Championships final and even though the performance in Sri Lanka right now is encouraging, it would not be easy for the team to put it past New Zealand during an upcoming series.
Currently placed fifth in the points table, two-time finalists India are locked in an uphill battle to win the majority of their remaining matches in the World Test Championship 2025-2027 and move up. With top two teams slated to play in the final next year, India, who are ranked fifth behind Bangladesh, will play two away Tests in New Zealand before taking on Australia in a five-Test series at home from January 2027. India will also play five ODIs and as many T20Is against the Kiwis.
India’s WTC Qualification Hopes
“I’m hoping they do. It’ll be a great run if India can qualify for the WTC final from here,” Dravid, a team owner in European T20 Premier League (ETPL), told JioStar when asked if India would be able to make the summit clash from here.
“They’ve fallen behind a little bit, but the kind of quality that the Indian team has, you’re not going to write them off at any stage. They started off well against Sri Lanka, so that’s a good first step,” he said. India lead the two-match series against Sri Lanka 1-0 and have the upperhand in the second Test following a solid batting performance.
Challenges in New Zealand and Australia
Talking about the New Zealand tour in October, Dravid said the experience of retired seniors such as Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara would be missed in the two Tests.
“(Playing against) New Zealand away, (is) always a challenge. (They are a) tough team, New Zealand, to play away from home. A lot of the young Indian boys have not played in those conditions, so that’s going to be a big challenge,” he said.
“Hopefully, they can keep the guys fit and not have a lot of injuries over the next few months. We’re missing the experience of Virat (Kohli) and Rohit (Sharma), Ajinkya Rahane and (Cheteshwar) Pujara, these kinds of guys who’ve probably been there the last time India went. So that will be an interesting series as well,” Dravid added.
The former India captain said even the visiting Australian team would have players desperate to do well in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy come January.
“Australia will be really exciting. A lot of their players will be very keen to do well in India. That’s a generation of truly great Australian players, a great Australian team that has not won in India. So they’ll be keen to do that,” Dravid said.
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