Former Indian chairman of selectors and commentator Kris Srikkanth has opened up on India’s WTC Final qualification chances after the just-concluded India’s two-Test tour to Sri Lanka, which the visitors won by 1-0.
While India had a chance of making it 2-0 in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, they had to settle for a draw, courtesy of exceptional resistance shown by Sonal Dinusha and lower-order batters on Day 5.
“This draw will make it difficult for India to qualify for the WTC final. Even if India wins five or six of the last seven matches, they’ll have to depend on other results. It’s questionable if India can beat Australia 5-0 at home. If we give rank turners in that series, Australia can also beat India,” Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Additionally, Srikkanth reckoned that the Indian team massively missed the ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah on the two-Test tour, adding that the Indian bowlers had no answers for Sonal Dinusha, who scored twin centuries in the Colombo Test.
Bumrah was ruled out of the Sri Lankan series due to a left knee injury sustained during India’s ODI series in England in July 2026. It’s important to note that India also failed to qualify for the 2025 WTC final.
“India messed up big time. Sonal Dinusha was amazing throughout the series. This is where you miss a bowler like Bumrah. You need a finishing bowler like him. Though rain helped Sri Lanka a bit, India should have won the match hands down,” said Srikkanth.
India’s next Test series is scheduled against New Zealand Down Under. Later, Australia will tour India for a five-match Test series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
