The World Test Championship has become a lot more interesting for this series, and frankly, the format changes they've implemented actually deal with some of the grievances everyone had about the earlier ones. Teams are going into this differently these days, and the entire overhaul of the points system means we're likely to have some surprises emerge over the next two years.

The scheduling of the fixtures is where it's become clever. Rather than all that mad pandemonium where some sides played loads more games than others, there's more equilibrium now. Each team has a fairer chance of racking up points, so smaller countries aren't penalised by default because they can't afford to stage as many series. T20Live has been monitoring these developments closely, and the mathematical potential is much more level playing than it was.

What is interesting is that already teams are planning differently for this season. The slow over rate penalty system has teeth now, and captains are really concerned about being penalised for points for wasting time. The entire pace of the game has increased because teams cannot be slack about their bowling rates any longer. That affects everything from team picking to on-field decision-making.

India's response to this cycle will be key to observe. Their home strength remains enormous, but the away record must improve if they hope to reach the final once more. The spin-friendly surfaces at home provide security for points, but those challenging tours of Australia and England are where championships are won and lost. T20Live analysis indicates their depth of squad is better than ever, but execution in pressure situations is still the question mark.

Australia's rebuilding process could not have occurred at a more opportune time. Their new-age batting group is gaining much-needed experience under pressure, and by the time this WTC cycle enters its business end, they will be in their peak form. The bowling unit continues to be world-class, and home conditions still remain heavily in their favour.

England's belligerent style of play under the current leadership is responsible for this strange dynamic of them possibly dominating or totally exploding. There is no middle ground with their team's game. They're either going to innovate Test cricket even more or find out that some old-school methods still work in longer formats of the game. T20Live stats indicate their winning percentage has improved significantly, but the sustainability issue remains an issue.

It's the smaller teams where this cycle becomes really unpredictable. Sides like Bangladesh and the West Indies have proven to be capable of upstaging bigger sides in their own den, and those wins have lots of importance in the points table. A single upset win can transform the entire syndrome of the championship race.

Pitch and weather conditions are also going to have a massive impact as well. Climate change is impacting cricket more than people know, and old-school home advantages may not be so consistent. T20Live weather monitoring indicates rising unpredictability in old-school cricket seasons.

The last qualification dramas are going to be crazy. With the points system reforms, we could get to the stage where teams require exact results in the final series to qualify, producing amazing pressure situations that Test cricket is built on.

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