India need to win three of the remaining four Tests in Australia to book their place in the WTC 2025 final.
India overtook Australia after their thumping 295-run win in the first Test in Perth.
Ravichandran Ashwin became the first bowler to pick 50 or wickets in each of three World Test Championship cycles.
The ICC is considering awarding bonus points for innings victories or for a win above a certain big margin such as 100 runs.
If Pakistan can either draw or win both Tests in South Africa, it will significantly boost India's chances, even if they manage a 2-2 draw in their current Test series against Australia.
Australia took the upper hand in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's, ending day two on 144-8 in their second innings with a lead of 218 runs after wickets tumbled freely again on Thursday.
Markram hopes a run of sporting trophy droughts broken in 2025 rings true at the World Test Championship 2025 Final, with the Proteas taking on defending champions Australia from June 11.
Lungi Ngidi's call-up indicates that Kagiso Rabada, who missed the team's memorable win in Kolkata due to a rib injury, is still uncertain for the Guwahati Test
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
Pat Cummins tore through South Africa before a Proteas fightback left the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 on a knife-edge at the end of an absorbing second day at Lord's.
South Africa clinched their berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in Centurion.
The collapse, India's lowest failed chase at home, has left behind deeper fault lines than a dry Eden Gardens wicket can conceal.
India have relied on their spin strength on rank turners to gain points in WTC cycles in the past but Gill has said he wants his side to play on tracks that offer equally to batters and bowlers.
Armed with a potent spin attack, taking on South Africa seems like competing against a "subcontinent team", Ten Doeschate said, admitting that they need to get better at negotiating the challenge posed by tweakers.
'Hopefully, not too far in the future, but more in the near future, we'll go back to play four Tests against India'
South Africa coach Shukri Conrad was overwhelmed to see his spinners rule the roost in the first Test against India at the Eden Gardens, signalling to him that the Rainbow Nation is no longer an exclusive "fast bowling country" and hoped that a lot more slow bowlers will emerge.
The Rohit Sharma-led team has two Tests left in Australia, and their fate is still in their hands.
Marco Jansen picked 12 wickets in the two Tests at an average of 10.08 including a six-wicket haul in the first innings of the Guwahati Test, while Jasprit Bumrah managed eight wickets in the series.
Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
Temba Bavuma-led South Africa on Monday clinched a massive 10-wicket victory over Pakistan
It was India's fourth loss in the current WTC cycle, causing their PCT to drop from 68.06 to 62.82.
India stayed on course to make it to their third straight WTC final.
South Africa's run to the WTC final has been driven by their dominant performances, especially at home. In those matches, their potent pace attack, featuring Kagiso Rabada (37 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 19.8) and Marco Jansen (29 wickets in 7 matches), has proved to be a game changer.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday
'You don't come to a country to win a Test match, you obviously want to win the series.
Not handing the ball to lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah to start the third day's play on a challenging Eden Gardens surface was "questionable", said the legendary Anil Kumble.
Former Australian captain Brad Haddin encouraged the Aussie public to go out and watch Indian icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action
The 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home last year still haunts India head coach Gautam Gambhir and he also doesn't want his players to forget that rare drubbing in Tests as they build for the future.
India stumbled to second place in the ICC World Test Championship 2025 table after suffering a 0-3 series whitewash against New Zealand.
South Africa sharpen spin game in attacking net session ahead of Eden Test
South Africa are within touching distance of a place in next June's World Test Championship final at Lord's but must win at least one of their two Tests against Pakistan
Simon Harmer picked up four wickets as South Africa staged an incredible fightback to shock India by 30 runs in a low-scoring first Test match.
The BCCI has postponed Wednesday's press conference to Thursday afternoon, where Ajit Agarkar will unveil India's squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, with Shubman Gill returning as captain.
I felt India needed me in Australia, selectors should look at intent than age: Ajinkya Rahane
AB de Villiers feels the criticism that has come South Africa's way is unwarranted and they have rather done well to reach the WTC final despite experiencing "so many changes" in the last three to five years.
Proteas edge Pakistan to win thriller at Centurion
India's awe-inspiring batting depth will face a stern test against South Africa's quality spin attack in the first Test, starting in Kolkata on Friday.
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
'Rishabh Pant is not fit for West Indies series, hopefully he will be available for home Tests against South Africa.'
Pakistan's players were fined 25 percent of their match fee and docked World Test Championship points for failing to maintaining a slow over-rate during the second Test against South Africa.
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