🏏South Africa tour of India, 2025: India vs S A,1st Test-Day 2🏏 - Page 2

India skipper wary of the WTC champions and their ability to perform in Asia

Acknowledging South Africa’s progress in Asian conditions, Shubman Gill praised their adaptability.

“It is very difficult when a foreign team comes and plays in Asia, and they are doing well. So, I think that is why they are the reigning champions of WTC. So it will be a good series,” he said.

The visitors drew 1-1 in Pakistan in October and arrive with an experienced core led by Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, and Kagiso Rabada.

The hosts will look to get off to a flyer as Gill continues to cement his role as Test captain in his 3rd series in the format.

A huge step towards the WTC final - Shubman Gill ahead of the first Test

India captain Shubman Gill has stressed that the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa is crucial for the team’s World Test Championship ambitions.

Speaking ahead of the opener at Eden Gardens, Gill said, “I think these two Test matches are very important for us to play the WTC finals. South Africa are a very good team. They are the reigning champions of the World Test Championship.”

India currently sit third on the WTC table, and a series win at home could push them closer to the top.

The toss is scheduled for 9:00 AM at Eden Gardens.

Ravindra Jadeja on the verge of a rare Test double for India, only achieved by Kapil Dev before

All eyes will be on veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as he edges closer to an elite milestone.

He stands on the brink of a rare double. The left-hander has scored 3,990 runs in 87 Tests at an average of 38.73, with six centuries and 27 fifties. With 338 wickets to his name, Jadeja is just 12 shy of 350, and will be a feat that would make him only the second Indian after Kapil Dev to achieve the combination of 4,000 runs and 350 wickets in Tests.

He played an important role in the Tests against West Indies and will do so in the South Africa Tests as well.

Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel likely to feature together - at last!

India are likely to field both wicketkeepers Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel in the series opener.

While Pant, who is making his full return to red-ball cricket after a long injury layoff, is expected to take the gloves, Jurel will keep his place as a specialist batter.

Jurel smashed consecutive centuries (132 and 127) for India A against South Africa A last week. His remarkable consistency — with three centuries, one fifty, and one score above 40 in his last eight first-class innings — made his selection hard to ignore.

Shubman Gill leads a familiar lineup that includes the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, while all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been released to the India A side. The hosts will look to maintain their strong home record, having lost only one Test series on home soil since 2012.

What can the two teams expect from the pitch in Kolkata?

The Eden Gardens surface is expected to favour batters early, with little grass and good carry for the pacers in the first session.

As the match progresses, reverse swing is likely to become a major factor, especially under Kolkata’s dry November heat. Spinners could come into play from Day 3 onward, though early indications suggest the track won’t break up dramatically.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and India’s Jasprit Bumrah might find movement with the older ball, while Keshav Maharaj and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to take on heavy bowling workloads too.

The toss, as always in India, could be crucial as to who comes on top in this encounter.

The Proteas eye to create history in Kolkata after a 25-year gap

It’s been 25 years since South Africa last won a Test series in India, and Temba Bavuma’s side will aim to end that drought when the series begins at Eden Gardens on Friday.

The reigning World Test Champions arrive with a seasoned squad and the confidence of a 1–1 draw in Pakistan in October. For India, the series marks another chapter in their transition under new captain Shubman Gill, who leads a squad featuring the returning Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel as a specialist batter.

India are full of confidence in the format, as they thoroughly dominated West Indies in home conditions in the two Tests played in October.

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Will join at 4PM. An hour into the match.

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SA won the toss and opted to bat first.

India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Shubman Gill: Looks like a good surface. There's a bit in it for the fast bowlers. Dressing room is good. This bunch is very hungry. This Test series is very important. There'll be some turn as the game goes on. Rishabh comes in for Reddy and Axar is also back.

Temba Bavuma: We will have a bat. The boys came back from Pakistan. Preparation-wise, we've done as best as we can. Looking forward to the challenge. We need to keep doing what we do. The pitch looks dry, runs in the first innings will be the key. Kagiso misses out, Corbin comes in.

South Africa have won the toss and have opted to bat