# Rahul Dravid backs India to qualify for WTC final 2026-08-25T14:17:21+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid has backed the Indian cricket team to qualify for the World Test Championship final for a third consecutive time. India currently sits at the top of the WTC standings with a points percentage of 68.52 after winning eight of their 11 matches in the current cycle. Dravid's confidence comes despite India's upcoming challenges, including a five-Test series against Australia later this year. India need to maintain their strong run to secure one of the top two spots on the points table to make the final, scheduled for June 2025 at Lord's. India have reached both previous WTC finals, losing to New Zealand in 2021 and to Australia in 2023. Dravid, who stepped down as head coach after the T20 World Cup win, remains optimistic about the team's chances under new coach Gautam Gambhir. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India's path to a third straight WTC final depends heavily on the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, a five-Test series that is the toughest assignment in the current cycle. The ICC points system rewards consistency over two years, and India's current lead gives them a buffer, but a poor result in Australia could let New Zealand or Australia overtake them. Dravid's backing carries weight because he built the Test squad's resilience during his tenure. The next milestone is the squad announcement for the Australia tour, expected in late October, which will show whether the selectors stick with the core Dravid helped establish. ## Coverage - gulfnews.com Leads with Dravid's quote as a straightforward endorsement, no drama or counterpoint. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Gautam Gambhir, India cricket team, Rahul Dravid, World Test Championship Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rahul-dravid-backs-india-to-qualify-for-wtc-final/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rahul-dravid-backs-india-to-qualify-for-wtc-final/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/