South Africa consolidated their position on the World Test Championships (WTC) points table after their emphatic Test series whitewash over Bangladesh at the St George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Monday (April 11). After beating their opponents by 220 runs in the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban, the Proteas beat the same opponents by a massive 332 runs to seal the series for their side.
Currently second on the WTC points table, the Proteas are in a strong place to compete for a spot in the final. Their progress has been plentiful, having won 13 out of 19 matches across all formats in 2021-22, including five Test wins. "We've had an extremely successful summer, not just as a Test side but as a cricketing nation," Test skipper Dean Elgar said.
"I think we are on the right path, doing things in the correct way. I am extremely proud of the Test summer we've had and the depth we've shown with regard to our selection pool. I am extremely proud of the group of players that we fielded," he added.
Their Test wins include a brilliant comeback against India, where the Proteas chased down record totals in Johannesburg and Cape Town, taking the series 2-1. This was followed by a defeat in three days against New Zealand, but they recovered well to win the next match and draw the series.
It is also worth noting that many of their star players chose to play in the IPL ahead of the Bangladesh series, making their win more impressive.
Australia currently occupy the top of the table with 72 points and their win percentage is 75 per cent. The Pat Cummins-led side defeated England 4-0 in the Ashes, following it up with a victory against Pakistan in the three-match Test series.
Meanwhile, India are on third with a win percentage of 58.33. The Rohit Sharma-led side last beat Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series. Australia's Test series win over Pakistan helped the side move above a spot above their rivals. The Men in Blue will square off against England in a one-off Test match which will conclude the five-match Test series that took place last year.
