The final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship did not disappoint, with reigning champions Australia taken down by South Africa in the showpiece event…but what are the chances of a repeat in two years time?
While the Aussies arrived as the favourites at Lords, they were undone in a low-scoring finale that saw Aiden Markram’s century prove pivotal as the Proteas finally ended their trophy drought.
Winning the competition was seen as a crucial moment in the continued evolution of the South Africa cricket team. This, coupled with a silver medal in the 2024 T20 World Cup, means the Proteas are finally coming through on being one of the teams to back prior to a major competition.
However, is it too soon to see South Africa as a side that can genuinely contend across all three formats? Perhaps the true longevity of this side will be shown in the attempted defence of their World Test Championship crown?
Unlike the 50 over and 20 over World Cups, South Africa have no time between winning the Test Championship and defending it.
The 2025-27 WTC has already started, whereas teams will have a number of years between winning either World Cup and having to defend it at a tournament. This heaps the pressure on the reigning champions.
South Africa’s first test of the new season will see them travelling to take on India in November in arguably the toughest tour in the men’s game. Their two-match run in India will be incredibly tough, and it could give an early indication as to how they will fare defending their trophy.
The worry for South Africa will be that India look particularly strong right now. Despite losing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they still boast world class batters, while the dual threat of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj provides pace, power and wickets.
For Australia, the influences of players like Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja may be coming to an end with the former now 36 and the latter 38. However, players like Travis Head, Cameron Green and captain Pat Cummins have years left in their legs.
It is those India and Australia sides which are favourites with betting sites once again, and the likes of England and New Zealand are always capable of beating any side. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Bangladesh are always capable on the pitch.
The quality of Test teams right now will make it tough for South Africa. The format of the competition means that there are no dead rubbers, with a side able to pick up WTC points even if the series is over as a contest.
This simply means there are no easy matches. Teams cannot afford to rest key players or fully rotate their squads. This means injuries or dips in form for players can become incredibly telling. Consistency will be key if South Africa are to challenge once again.
On a more positive note for South Africa, they have a lot of young talent they can lean on. Kagiso Rabada is just 30-years-old and will likely lead their attack for years to come. Marco Jansen will be firing down lightning-fast deliveries for years to come, while the hero from their final win over Australia in Aiden Markram is just 30.
The real worry will be eventually losing captain Temba Bavuma. The 35-year-old led his side to the trophy in 2025, with his combative and often gritty style of batting helping South Africa to both accelerate their own run scoring or keep the opposition at bay.
Ultimately, South Africa’s defence of their title may yet prove to be even harder than winning it for the first time. Indeed, no side has managed to defend their title. New Zealand were usurped by Australia in the 2021-23 season, with South Africa then downing the Aussies in 2025.
Clearly, winning the WTC consecutively is tough. Are South Africa good enough to go where others have failed to go across the tournament so far? Only time will tell.
