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India's WTC Final Race Exit Looms Large As Rohit And Co To Face Slow Over-Rate Penalty

Aakash Saini∙ Updated: Dec 29 2024, 2:36 PM

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Source: @CHIYANAKASH_07/x]Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Source: @CHIYANAKASH_07/x]

Team India’s ambitions for a spot in the WTC 2025 final is set to take another hit as Rohit Sharma’s drawcards will likely face a slow over-rate penalty after the conclusion of the MCG Test against Australia. Despite having Australia on the mat at 173-9 in 64 overs, the final wicket pair of the hosts batted out the remaining 18 overs of the day to reach a commendable 228-9 by stumps on Day 4.

With Australia facing more than 80 overs in their second innings, Team India is now eligible for the penalty, as they find themselves behind the allotted time by a few overs.

India’s dwindling MCG prospects takes another hit

Team India’s dwindling MCG prospects against Australia is on course to take another hit, albeit for maintaining a slow over-rate in the second innings. Rohit Sharma and co. are eligible of facing a penalty, considering the last-wicket pair of Australia ensured that the visitors faced more than 80 overs on Day 4.

As per the ICC norms, one WTC point is deducted from every team for falling one over short of the required rate. With India desperately needing a win over Australia at the MCG, and at the SCG next week, their ambitions of securing a spot in the WTC 2025 final might well get hampered due to an over-rate induced point deduction on the Championship table.

So far in the ongoing 2023-25 WTC, the English cricket team has suffered the biggest wrath of over-rate penalty, having been deducted 22 points to be ranked sixth on the standings.

As it happened, Australia bowled out India for 369 early on Day 4 to secure a huge 106-run lead at the halfway stage of the match. However, visiting fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj tilted the tide back in India’s favour by reducing the hosts to 173-9 at one stage of the day.

Thereafter, Australia’s final wicket pair of Nathan Lyon (41*) and Scott Boland (10*) frustrated the Indians throughout the remaining 18 overs before stumps to extend the total to 228-9, and the lead to 333 runs.

With series locked at 1-1 after three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series, the winner will head into the SCG arena with a handy 2-1 lead.