ICC World Test Championship final: What does England need to do for qualifying?

The ongoing ICC World Test Championship has taken a new twist with Cricket Australia cancelling their three-match Test tour of South Africa. The series, originally scheduled to be played out in March, was intended to be the last Test assignments for both Australia and South Africa before the summit clash of the ICC World Test Championship. Their cancellation has shifted even more focus towards the upcoming India vs England series, as the fate of three teams hangs in the balance for a spot in the final.

Coronavirus pandemic hampers Australia’s tour of South Africa

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Stiff task ahead of England to make it into WTC Final

The cancellation of South Africa vs Australia 2021 series has given a direct entry to Kane Williamson’s New Zealand unit in the final. With a spot still up for grabs for the summit clash, either one of India, England and Australia, still have a chance to set a date with New Zealand for the Championship honours. Unlike Australia, the fate of teams like India and England are in their own hands as they gear up to collide at Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium from Friday, February 5 onwards.

For the Joe Root-led England side to qualify, they need to beat India by either 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 margins. The task seemingly appears intimidating for the visitors, considering India’s impeccable track record while playing at home as well as their recent series win in Australia. However, England has been the only visiting party that has tasted Test series success in India in the last 16 years, when they won their four-match tussle by a 2-1 margin in 2012.

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Cricketers like current skipper Joe Root and veteran pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad were part of England’s 2012’s triumphant line-up in India. However, England will not qualify even if they beat India 2-1 once again in this series or 1-0 for that matter. It makes the contributions of the seasoned trio more critical than ever as the ‘Barmy Army’ will be pinning much hopes on them to come up trumps against Virat Kohli and co.

Here is a look at WTC Final qualification scenarios for India, England and Australia.

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India vs England 2021 Test series updates

The India vs England four-match Test series will be played between February 5 and March 8. While the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will be hosting the first two Tests of the tour, the newly-renovated Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad will play hosts to the final two matches. Here is a look at the entire itinerary of England’s ongoing tour to India -

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Image source: ECB Twitter