The Indian cricket team faced a significant setback in the first Test of. The series against South Africa, held at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. Suffering a 30-run defeat, this loss not only meant missing an early advantage in the series. But also had severe repercussions for their standing in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. Following this defeat, Team India has experienced a substantial drop in the WTC's fourth edition points table, now finding themselves at the fourth position, while this outcome has been particularly disappointing for Indian cricket fans, as the team failed to chase a relatively modest target.
Kolkata Test Outcome and India's Performance
Team India endured a crushing 30-run defeat against South Africa in the opening match of the two-Test series. The match, played at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, saw the Indian team set a target of just 124 runs to win in their fourth innings. This was considered a highly achievable target by Test cricket standards, especially when playing in home conditions. However, India's second innings collapsed dramatically, with the entire team being bowled out for a mere 93 runs. This unexpected batting failure handed South Africa a memorable victory and sent ripples of concern through the Indian camp, while the defeat has dealt a major blow to Team India's WTC campaign, weakening their position in the points table Importantly.
South Africa's Significant Gains
Prior to the commencement of this two-match Test series against South Africa, Team India held the third position in the World Test Championship 2025-27 points table. Following the loss in the Kolkata Test, the Indian team has directly slipped one spot, now occupying the fourth position. Currently, the Indian team's total points percentage stands at 54. 17%. In this WTC cycle, Team India has played a total of 8 matches. Out of these 8 encounters, the Indian team has secured victories in four, while suffering defeats in three, while one match has ended in a draw, which has impacted the team's overall points percentage. This defeat has made the road ahead more challenging for the Indian team, as they will now need to work harder to secure a spot in the top two.
While the Indian team faced a loss in the Kolkata Test, the South African team reaped considerable benefits from their victory, while before the Kolkata Test, South Africa was positioned at the fourth spot in the WTC points table. With this crucial win, the African team has surged two places upwards, now reaching the second position, which is a significant boost for their WTC campaign. The South African team has played a total of three matches in this WTC cycle so far. Out of these three matches, they've managed to win two, while losing one. With this impressive performance, South Africa's points percentage has now reached 66. 67%, establishing them as the second strongest contender after Australia.
Overview of Other Teams in WTC Standings
Looking at the status of other teams in the fourth edition of the. World Test Championship points table, the Australian team firmly holds the first position. Australia currently boasts a 100% points percentage, indicating that they've won all their matches and remain undefeated in this cycle so far. South Africa is in second place with a 66. 67% points percentage, while Sri Lanka also has a 66. 67% points percentage, placing them third, while however, South Africa's superior performance places them above Sri Lanka. The Indian team is at the fourth spot with a 54, while 17% points percentage. Pakistan's team is in fifth place with a 50% points percentage, while. England's team is in sixth place, with a total points percentage of 43. 33%. On top of that, Bangladesh, West Indies, and New Zealand occupy the last three positions. Among these, the New Zealand team has not yet played a single match in this WTC cycle, so their current standing isn't yet fully defined.
This defeat serves as a wake-up call for Team India, as they will need to perform better in upcoming matches to stay in contention for the WTC final. The second and final Test match of the series will be crucial for the Indian team, where they will aim to bounce back, level the series, and improve their WTC standing.
