South Africa initially struggled in their current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, securing only one victory in their first five matches, which placed them at the lower end of the points table. However, they dramatically reversed their fortunes by winning all their subsequent five Test matches, including a clean sweep against Sri Lanka, propelling them to the top of the standings.

On Monday, an anticlimactic conclusion occurred at St George's Park in Gqeberha, where Sri Lanka's lower order quickly succumbed to the South African bowling attack. Keshav Maharaj achieved a five-wicket haul, leading the hosts to a 109-run victory in the second Test.

This victory elevated the Proteas to the top of the WTC points table with a percentage of 63.33%, effectively securing their position in the final at Lord's next June. South Africa requires only one win in their remaining two matches against Pakistan at home, with the series set to commence later this month in Centurion.

Nevertheless, should South Africa experience a whitewash at home against the Shan Masood-led team, they risk missing out on a place in the WTC final, as both India and Australia, currently engaged in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, could surpass them. Additionally, Sri Lanka would still have a slim chance of reaching the final, contingent upon their success against Australia in a two-match Test series scheduled for later next month.

How can India set up the WTC final against South Africa?

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma are facing increasing scrutiny as South Africa appears to be securing a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The outcome of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is expected to significantly influence the determination of the final position.

After achieving a clean sweep against Bangladesh at home in September, India initially held the top position in the standings. However, following their defeat in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide, they have fallen to third place.

To ensure their qualification for the final without relying on external results, India must avoid any further losses in the remaining three matches against Australia and can only accept one draw. If India manages to win the series 2-1, Australia, led by Pat Cummins, would still have a chance to reach the final, contingent upon them achieving a clean sweep against Sri Lanka. Should the Border-Gavaskar series conclude in a 2-2 draw, India's hopes would hinge on Sri Lanka either defeating Australia 2-0 in their away series or securing consecutive draws against them. This scenario would allow Rohit Sharma's team to qualify for the final with a percentage of 55.26%. In this case, Australia would end up with a similar percentage, but India would advance to Lord's due to having secured more series victories throughout the WTC cycle.

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