A drawn series in England. A whitewash victory over the West Indies. And now, another shot at redemption. In their fourth attempt to chase the elusive World Test Championship (WTC) title, India is set to face the defending champions, South Africa.

The two‐match series begins at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, hosting its first Test since 2019. With qualification to the WTC final hanging in the balance, this series is not just another fixture - it's a defining moment for Shubman Gill's young team.

Where India Stands in the WTC Table

So far in this WTC cycle, India has played seven matches across two series, winning four, losing two, and drawing one. That record gives them 52 points and a points percentage of 61.90, placing them third behind Australia and Sri Lanka.

Only the top two teams qualify for the final. With the two Tests against South Africa, India's total possible points in the cycle will rise to 108.

A 2‐0 victory would hand India 24 additional points, taking their total to 76 out of 108. That would lift their percentage to 70.37 - enough to push them into second place on the table.

The momentum from such a result would set them up perfectly for their next assignment: a two‐Test series in Sri Lanka. Two wins there, and India would be in a commanding position heading into the final phase of the cycle.

If India wins one Test and draws the other, they'll finish this series with 68 points and a percentage of 62.96 - stable but still in third place.

A 1‐1 draw, however, will see their percentage fall to 59.26. Two draws would be even more damaging, dropping it further to 55.56. In that scenario, India's WTC campaign would enter a critical phase, with no room for slip‐ups in the remaining series.

If South Africa wins the series 1‐0, India's percentage will dip to 51.85, allowing the Proteas to overtake them. A 2‐0 whitewash would hurt even more - India's percentage would slide to 48.15, pushing them down to fifth place, below Pakistan.

Such a result would double the pressure on India ahead of the tough away tours that follow.

The Road Ahead: Tricky but Not Impossible

After this series, India's remaining fixtures include away Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand (two each) and a five‐match home series against Australia.

India reached the finals in the first two WTC cycles - losing to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023. Now, with a new captain and a fresh approach, the young Indian side will be desperate to finally lift the trophy.

The Eden Gardens Test could be defined by its conditions. The first two days are expected to favour pacers, with chances of reverse swing coming into play early.

Statistically, since 2010, pacers have taken an average of 19 wickets per Test at Eden - the most for any Indian venue. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will look to make full use of whatever movement is on offer.

Across the pitch, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will be equally eager to exploit the new ball, setting up a thrilling pace battle.

Once the shine fades and the pitch starts to wear, the spinners will enter the contest. Both teams are likely to field three spinners.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are expected to retain their spots, while the third spinner could be either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav, depending on the surface.

Interestingly, the Eden Test might also feature multiple wicket‐keepers in India's batting lineup - Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, with KL Rahul included as a specialist batter who has kept in the past.

For India, this isn't just another home series - it's a battle for credibility and control in the WTC race. With a new generation of players leading the charge and a fresh captain at the helm, this series could well mark the start of a new chapter in Indian Test cricket.

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