South Africa push Australia down to third position on WTC table after huge win in first Test vs SL

South Africa has pushed Australia down to third position on the World Test Championship (WTC) table in the current 2023-25 cycle. SA now sit on the second spot after beating Sri Lanka in the first Test by 233 runs on Saturday (Nov 30).

South Africa now have 59.26 per cent points with one Test left in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka and two more against Pakistan at home in December next month. SA, if they manage to win all their matches, have a pretty solid chance of making it to their maiden ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final scheduled in June next year.

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South Africa's win, coupled with Australia's loss in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test against India, have made it harder for the Baggy Green to play their second consecutive WTC final.

Australia, however, still has a chance to make it up in their remaining four BGT Tests at home and two away Tests against Sri Lanka.

The loss, meanwhile, dealt a cruel blow to Sri Lanka's chances of making it to the WTC final. New Zealand's loss against England in the ongoing first Test between the two sides, however, will get them back to fourth place from the current fifth place.

New Zealand, on the other hand, also received a setback for their chances after failing to perform at their own home against England despite coming off a 3-0 win against India in an away Test series.

India, meanwhile, stays on top, thanks to their emphatic 295-run win over Australia in Perth and four more Tests to go.

India's next match starts December 6 in Adelaide while South Africa and Sri Lanka will play the second Test from December 5.

In the first Test, Marco Jansen took 11 wickets in the match for SA and helped SL bowl out for a paltry 42 in the first innings from which the visitors could never really recover.