"India Cannnot Beat Australia 4-0": Sunil Gavaskar's Blunt Prediction

Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has made his prediction for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. India need to win at least four Tests out of their remaining five in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle to guarantee qualification to the final without having to rely on other results. Gavaskar has stated that he does not believe Team India will be capable of beating Australia 4-0 in Australia. However, Gavaskar also mentioned that India's focus should be solely on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and not on the possibility of making the WTC final.

"India cannot beat Australia 4-0 in the Test series, I'd be very, very I'd be over the moon. If they do that, I would be over the moon if they do that. But 4-0. India can win 3-1, 4-0 is... don't talk about the World Test Championship final. Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia. Never mind whether you win 1-0,2-0,3-0, 3-1,2-1. But go and win. Because that is how all of us Indian cricket fans are going to be back to feeling good again," said Gavaskar, speaking to India Today.

India have won the previous four Test series against Australia, all by a margin of 2-1. Two of these series have been in Australia. 

The last time Australia defeated India in a Test series was in the 2014/15 season, 10 years ago.

World Test Championship (WTC) scenario: How can it play out?

While on paper India need four wins to guarantee qualification, it is unlikely they will need to win all. This is because the other nations in contention for the WTC final face each other, and will hamper each other's results.

Australia will tour Sri Lanka, who will tour South Africa, who will also host Pakistan. New Zealand will host England for three Tests as well, leaving plenty of scope for the WTC standings to change dramatically.