Team India have taken another big step towards securing their place in the World Test Championship final after defeating Australia in the second Test to retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Delhi. A victory in the third Test will not only seal the series for India but also guarantee their spot in the WTC final at The Oval in June.
Following an embarrassing defeat in the Test series opener in Nagpur, the visitors made a solid start to the second match, registering a half-century stand for the first wicket in their first innings. They managed to post a more than competitive total on a tricky surface, thanks to well-composed half-centuries from Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb.
The home side found themselves in a spot of bother despite a steady start from the openers, largely due to Nathan Lyon's brilliant bowling spell. But the Indian all-rounders came to the rescue for their side yet again after Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin compiled an impeccable 114-run stand to take their side to safety.
Although Australia managed a lead of just a solitary run after India's reply, the Aussies laid down their intent after Travis Head's fiery cameo in the third session of the second day. The third morning promised an intriguing battle between bat and ball, with both sides tussling for a crucial victory. However, it was the Indian bowlers who triumphed in the morning session as Australia were bundled out in just over an hour for a modest score of 113 runs. India went on to win the game by six wickets as Cheteshwar Pujara stood tall for his side in his 100th Test match.
WTC Points table after India’s emphatic victory in Delhi
While the Indian team retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, Rohit Sharma's men have further solidified their position in the WTC points table. They have now got 123 points to their name with a percentage of 64.06. Meanwhile, their counterparts have lost their second game on the trot and are staring down a clean sweep in the four-match series.
| Position | Team | PCT | Points | Won | Lost | Draw |
| 1 | Australia | 66.67 | 136 | 10 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | India | 64.06 | 123 | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 53.33 | 64 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | South Africa | 48.72 | 76 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | Engalnd | 46.97 | 124 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| 6 | West Indies | 40.91 | 54 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 38.10 | 64 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 8 | New Zealand | 27.27 | 36 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 11.11 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
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