Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: 'India Can't Beat Australia 4-0' Says Sunil Gavaskar, Prioritizes Series Victory Over WTC Qualification

Sunil Gavaskar advised India to prioritize winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia rather than focusing on World Test Championship (WTC) qualification.

AUS vs IND: Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has shared his insights on India’s upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, offering both a reality check and a motivational outlook. India, which needs four wins out of their remaining five Tests in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle to secure a guaranteed spot in the final, faces a challenging task on foreign soil. Gavaskar, however, expressed doubts about India achieving a 4-0 series sweep against Australia, despite acknowledging the team’s potential.

Speaking on the prospects, Gavaskar remarked, “India cannot beat Australia 4-0 in the Test series; I'd be very, very over the moon if they do that. But 4-0? India can win 3-1, but don’t focus on the WTC final. Now just focus on winning the series in Australia. Never mind whether you win 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, or 3-1. But go and win. Because that is how all of us Indian cricket fans will feel good again."

India’s recent history against Australia in Test series has been encouraging. India has won the last four series against Australia, all by a 2-1 margin, including two memorable victories on Australian soil. The last time Australia managed to beat India in a Test series was back in the 2014/15 season, nearly a decade ago. This record instills confidence, but Gavaskar cautions against complacency, advocating for India to focus on one game at a time without the distraction of WTC qualification scenarios.

WTC Qualification Scenario: India’s Path and Other Contenders

While theoretically, India requires four wins to secure a direct spot in the WTC final, it is likely that they may not need all four due to the competition among other nations vying for the same goal. Key teams in the WTC race will be clashing in the upcoming months, creating a ripple effect on the standings.

Australia will tour Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka will visit South Africa, and South Africa will also host Pakistan. Additionally, New Zealand is set to host England for a three-Test series, with each nation’s outcomes influencing the standings significantly. As each of these teams competes, their standings will fluctuate, possibly reducing India’s burden for an outright four wins.

In sum, India’s focus remains on the challenging series ahead in Australia. With other WTC contenders poised to affect each other’s results, India’s best strategy might be as Gavaskar suggests aiming to win the series with whatever margin possible, as the WTC standings evolve dynamically.