Saba Karim highlights India's challenges to make it to the WTC final

Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim pointed out that India will face a stiff challenge in five of the seven Tests that are remaining for the Rohit Sharma-led side to make it to the World Test Championship finals next year. India recently won 2-0 in the home Test series against Sri Lanka and are currently at the fourth position with 77 points at 58.33%.

According to the schedule, India will play one Test in England, two more Tests in Bangladesh and four-match home Test series against Australia. The runners up of the previous World Test Championship finals cannot afford to lose any more Tests which will take a hit at their win percent and it will all come down to the home series against a quality Australian side.

The Pat Cummins led side is currently at the top of the table with 60 points at 71.42% while Pakistan is hanging to their second position. The final is scheduled to be held from the 31st of March next year with the venue yet to be decided.

Australia will be well prepared while coming to India: Saba Karim

Karim mentioned that India’s toughest challenge will be the one Test in England and the four home Tests against Australia. He viewed that Australia would have got enough experience of the subcontinent conditions with the ongoing Tests in Pakistan and added that the preparations from the Cummins-led side will be really good while coming to India.

“This is the best option, you don’t have any other option. I feel India will have a challenge in five Test matches – the only Test that is going to be played in England and the four in the home series against Australia.”

“Australia also has a strong team. Because they are playing Tests against Pakistan at the moment, they would have got more experience about the conditions and they will gain from that. Along with that, Australia has two spinners at the moment – Nathan Lyon and Swepson, who is a leg-spinner. I feel they would be well prepared when Australia travels to India,” Saba Karim told during a discussion on India News.

He also felt that India is vastly ahead of Bangladesh in terms of quality and felt that the away series in Bangladesh will not pose a threat. Instead, the 54-year-old wanted the focus to be on the remaining five Tests for India to make it to the finals of the WTC 2021-23.

“I feel we will see a challenge for India in these five Tests only. As far as India playing in Bangladesh, there is a lot of difference in quality between our team and the Bangladesh players.

“There is no need for us to think about the other teams. We have to go towards our goal only. I feel the way we are performing and six matches are going to happen in the Indian subcontinent, the biggest thing is that we should get result-oriented wickets in India, which we are getting at the moment,” he added.