3 lessons India can take away from South Africa's WTC Final win ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests
South Africa produced a massive result by defeating Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) at Lord's. Coming into the contest as underdogs. The Proteas were at their resolute best and showed up when it mattered to win the coveted mace and end their silverware drought.
Although Team India does not necessarily need to look long and hard for inspiration, this South African side is certainly worthy of being a credible one. Right as they prepare to face a challenging assignment against England away from home, that too with a new-look team, South Africa have shown a blueprint.
Team India have never been too far away from the mace, but across the last three cycles, a stumble at the worst possible time has prevented them from lifting the silverware.
On that note, let us take a look at the three lessons India can take away from South Africa's WTC Final win ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests.
#1 Exploiting conditions
Both Team India and South Africa had won the toss in the WTC Final under similar conditions, and made the same choice to bowl first. The fact that Day 1 was overcast, along with the fact that the pitch would get better to bat on as the match progressed, made the decision look logically correct.
The reason why there was such a stark difference in the result was because South Africa were able to exploit conditions much better. The bowlers too took advantage of the cloud cover and lateral movement to bowl out Australia for 212. India, on the other hand, despite reducing the Men in Yellow to 76-3, conceded 469.
South Africa availed the chance to bat on Day 3 when the sun was out and the pitch had eased up. They used that chance to bat with more intent and put pressure back on the Australian bowlers. The batters looked in absolute control when the ball had softened up, giving no chance for Australia to get back into the contest.
#2 Preparation is key
A major reason why South Africa won the WTC Final is the fact that they did not compromise on their preparation amid the IPL. The CSA put their foot down to recall all of their players from the franchise competition as soon as possible. An undercooked Rabada profitted immensely from the preparation in England, much more than he would have had he remained with the Gujarat Titans (GT) for the playoffs. He responded with a nine-wicket haul in the final, running through the Australian batting unit across both innings.
Even centurion Aiden Markram missed out on the Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) last league fixture against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to join the national team as soon as possible. His sublime form, coupled with the preparation, played a massive role in his fourth innings heroics in the WTC Final.
Team India could not similarly prioritise their preparations for the 2023 WTC Final due to the 2023 IPL schedule. Key Australian players had skipped the tournament to focus on the WTC Final, and the difference between the two sides were there to be seen.
#3 How to deal with transitions and injuries
South Africa were caught unaware after their captain, Dean Elgar, chose to retire right after the home Test series against India. The fact that it was the first series of the new cycle for the Proteas meant that they had to revert to a contingency plan at a not-so-ideal time. It helped that they had a proven leader like Temba Bavuma among the ranks to ensure a seamless leadership transition.
The Proteas had countless obstacles during their WTC cycle. They were nowhere near the top two after drawing against India, and a whitewash against New Zealand after having to send their second-string squad. Keegan Petersen's poor form and injury issues to Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, and Anrich Nortje, posed as major concerns.
South Africa, however, dealt with the issues by bringing in new players to the fore. The likes of Tristan Stubbs, Dane Paterson, Wiaan Mulder, and Corbin Bosch all came in to chip in at various times when Proteas needed them the most in their route to the WTC Final. It also now serves as a bankable core and bench options to provide solidity and depth in the long run.
Team India are also in a similar phase in their red-ball journey. How they plan and execute the transition after the string of retirements, and navigate the inevitable hurdles that arise in the two-year journey, will have a major say in their final position after the cycle.