Reports | Australia might find themselves out of WTC final contention after South Africa's complaint

Though England and India will lock horns in the fourth and final Test of the ongoing series, in terms of the World Test Championship finale, it's a battle between India and Australia for the second spot. England will be helping their nemesis Australia to reach the finale of the WTC if they beat India in the fourth Test and end up drawing the series. For India, they will either need to win the last Test or draw it and emerge victorious in the series and they will book a finale berth against New Zealand at the Lord's to be played in a few months time. 

However, as per a report in Sydney Morning Herald, Australia will not be able to reach the WTC finale even if their Ashes rivals win the last Test against India as the ICC will be taking forward the formal complaint filed by the CSA against CA in wake of the latter postponing the South Africa tour owing to the global pandemic. 

Cricket Australia will have to inform the ICC whether they can solve their issues with the CSA through negotiations this week or else the whole issue will be transferred to an independent panel and they would evaluate whether the CA was right in postponing the tour or not. 

There is also a possibility that the panel might well hand over the full points of the three-match series to South Africa and that will ensure that Australia will finish below India in the WTC table. There is also a likelihood that the panel may well give an alternative date for the postponed series to take place before the culmination of the current FTP in April 2023.