two match test series between India And South Africa A historic opening is set to take place this Friday (November 14) Eden Gardens In Kolkata. The match marks the Proteas’ return to India for the Test series, a venue where they last visited in 2019 and were whitewashed 3-0 by the dominant hosts.
South Africa aims to end the decade-long problem on Indian soil
South Africa face an uphill battle as they try to reverse their disappointing record of not winning a single Test match on Indian soil since 2010. This lingering dilemma casts a shadow over the visitors, who are eager to prove their mettle in subcontinental conditions.
The Indian team’s aura of invincibility in home Tests was recently broken when the Black Caps (New Zealand) recorded a shocking series win last year. However, under the guidance of newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, India seem to be making a rapid recovery. Gill’s team managed to draw a respectable series in England and recently gained confidence 2-0 win at home against West IndiesSuggests the team has settled in and is ready for the challenge.
For South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma will be seeking flexibility from his batting unit against India’s experienced spin attack. The Proteas, who recently drew 1-1 in a challenging series in Pakistan, will be hoping to turn their fortunes around, relying heavily on their own spinners to extract performance from Indian pitches.
Kolkata’s famous batting track
The iconic Eden Gardens is the most experienced Test venue in India, having hosted 39 matches. The surface here is generally considered one of the best batting tracks in the country, promising good scores early on. However, as is normal for venues in the subcontinent, the pitch deteriorated over time, forcing the Indian players into action as the match progressed.
IND vs SA 2025: Test team
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, Akash Deep.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony De Zorzi, Dewald Brewis, Kyle Verreynne (w), Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Zubair Hamza, Wiaan Mulder.
Also read: IND vs SA – Abhishek Nair chooses Team India’s playing XI for the first test against South Africa
Eden Garden Test stats and records
- Total tally: 42
- Matches won by batting first: 12
- Matches won by bowling first: 10
- Average score of first innings: 323
- Average score of second innings: 314
- Average score of 3rd innings: 255
- Average score of 4th innings: 143
- Highest total recorded: 657/7 (178 overs) India vs Australia
- Lowest total recorded: 90/10 (30 overs) India vs West Indies
- Highest score chased: 120/2 (39.4 overs) India vs South Africa
- Defense of lowest score: 163/10 (91 overs) England vs India
Also read: Hashim Amla explains how South Africa can trouble India in 2025 Test series