India's hopes in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle suffered a significant setback as they slipped to fourth position in the standings following a dramatic 30-run defeat against South Africa at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Collapse on Spin-Friendly Pitch Seals India's Fate
The Indian batting lineup crumbled under pressure while chasing a modest target of 123 runs, getting bowled out for just 93 runs on a heavily spin-friendly surface. The collapse was particularly disappointing given the team's strong home record and the relatively small target set by the visitors.
India faced an additional blow when Test captain Shubman Gill was ruled out of the final day's play due to a neck spasm, further weakening their batting resources for the crucial run chase.
Bavuma's Gritty Knock Proves Decisive
South Africa's victory was anchored by captain Temba Bavuma's unbeaten 55 in the second innings, which proved to be the difference between the two sides. The Proteas managed to post 153 runs in their second innings, with Bavuma emerging as the only batter from either team to score more than 40 runs in the entire Test match.
This victory marked South Africa's first Test win in India in 15 years, breaking a long-standing drought and giving their World Test Championship title defense a significant boost.
Worrying Trend for India in Current WTC Cycle
The Kolkata defeat represents India's third loss in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, following two earlier defeats in England this year. This worrying trend has pushed India down to fourth position in the standings with a points percentage of 61.90%, having played 8 matches with 4 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw.
Meanwhile, South Africa's campaign gains momentum with this victory, placing them second in the standings with a 66.67% points percentage. The reigning world Test champions have now won two of their three matches in this edition, having begun their title defense in Pakistan last month.
Australia continues to dominate the World Test Championship standings, maintaining a perfect record with three wins from three matches and a 100% points percentage. Sri Lanka occupies the second position with 66.67% points percentage from two matches.
The updated standings highlight the competitive nature of the current World Test Championship cycle, with several teams still in contention for the top two spots that will qualify for the final in 2027.
