There is no doubting that South Africa has enjoyed a great World Test Championship run in the 2023–25 cycle. Out of the 12 games they played, they ultimately won eight of them. The first team to guarantee their spot at Lord’s was the Proteas. They won the opening Test of the two-match series against Pakistan, solidifying their position. This season, a number of players have stepped up to the plate, resulting in a genuinely comprehensive performance.
Months before the much-anticipated match, former South African middle-order batsman Jonty Rhodes publicly acknowledged Australia as the overwhelming favourite.
“South Africa doesn’t seem to have any advantages. In addition to having a potent pace attack of their own, the Australians are adept pace bowlers. This identical issue awaits South African batters at Lord’s. Therefore, I wouldn’t claim that we have an edge. It’s going to be a fascinating game,” Rhodes said, as cited by India Today, “but Australians have grown up dealing with pace and know all about it.”
The sport is experiencing a resurgence of interest: Jonty Rhodes
In both the men’s and women’s divisions, Rhodes voiced optimism about the future development of South African cricket and hoped for a similar comeback in importance to that of Indian cricket at the moment.
“Achievement leads to success. With the success of the men’s and women’s teams, South Africa has been in the middle of the ICC rankings for a while, but there is now a revived interest in the sport. The popularity and support of the game have increased as a result of the accomplishments of teams such as the Indian men’s and women’s teams. “I hope the Test team’s performances and competitions like the SA20 lead to a similar comeback in South African cricket,” he continued.
Prior to the WTC, the South African team has an opportunity to end their ICC trophy drought. The Proteas would have the perfect chance to build on their momentum into the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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