India have a chance to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship even if the side concedes a defeat in the 4th Test against England.
England will be aiming to spoil India's party in the final Test of the four-match series in Ahmedabad, as a win for the visitors will -- at least for now -- end India's hopes for qualification to the final of the World Test Championship (WTC).
India will fall below Australia in the WTC table, meaning that the Tasmanian rivals -- New Zealand and Australia, will play in the final of the tournament at Lord's in June.
However, this could change if ICC accepts Cricket South Africa's demands for remuneration and points deduction from Australia over the postponement of the latter's tour to the country earlier this year.
The Australian team was scheduled to tour South Africa for a three-Test series, but the tour was postponed by Cricket Australia owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, according to the Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald, the ICC will be looking forward to bring CSA's formal complaint against CA, should England win the fourth Test against India.
Cricket Australia has until the end of this week to meet the deadline set by the ICC to inform the dispute resolution committee whether the matter can be resolved in good faith. If the Australian cricket board fails to do so, the case would be transferred to an independent panel, which may even decide to award all the 120 points from the series to South Africa.
In this case, Australia would fall below India even if England wins the final Test.
However, such sanctions would be irrelevant if India win the Test, as a victory for Virat Kohli's side would automatically knock Australia out of the tournament.
The fourth and final Test of the series will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from March 4.
