With a historic series win in the bag, New Zealand now look to further assert themselves by winning the third Test in Mumbai, beginning Friday, and turn their unassailable 2-0 lead into a clean sweep to continue their climb in the World Test Championship (WTC) table.
India, Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are the four teams in the fray to qualify for the WTC final, which is scheduled for June next year at Lord’s in London. Top two teams at the end of the two-year cycle play the final.
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India, despite their consecutive defeats against the Kiwis, continue to be in the top position on the WTC table, followed by Australia at number two. Sri Lanka are at the third spot and New Zealand on fourth.
Having inflicted a couple of wounds on India, the Kiwis can expect Rohit Sharma & Co to come back hard, considering the gap between India and Australia at the top of WTC table is down to a mere 0.32 points percentage.
Besides that, it’s the red-soil pitch at the Wankhede Stadium that the buoyant New Zealand will find as an additional challenge.
The visiting team’s coach, Gary Stead, agreed.
“A series win in itself is incredible, but what we want to do is keep trying to get better every game, and we’re going to different circumstances now,” Stead told New Zealand media.
After conquering the black-soil track in Pune in the second Test, the NZ coach said adapting to red clay of the Wankhede Stadium could hold the key.
“The red clay is very different, so we’re going to have to adapt quickly. Our next two training (sessions) are going to be important but for the WTC itself, there’s no doubt one more win would certainly help us (in keeping WTC final qualification hopes alive).”
New Zealand won the inaugural edition of the WTC in 2021, defeating India in the final at Lord’s. India finished runners-up again in 2023, when Australia became the Test champions.
“The first time we were in the situation of qualifying for the first WTC final, we had to win four Tests on the bounce and we managed to,” Stead recalled. “Hopefully that’s something we can lean on and say, ‘we’ve done it before, here’s an opportunity to perhaps do something very special again’.”
India last suffered a Test series whitewash at home in 2000, losing to South Africa 2-0.