India vs South Africa – 1st Test Match Preview: South Africa Tour of India 2025

Match Details

• Match: India vs South Africa – 1st Test
• Date: November 14–18, 2025
• Time: 4:00 AM GMT | 9:30 AM IST
• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
• Toss Time: 4:00 AM GMT (Friday)
• Live Streaming: JioCric (India), ESPNcricinfo
• Live Broadcast: Star Sports (India)

Head-to-Head Record

India and South Africa have met in 44 Test matches so far:

• India wins: 16
• South Africa wins: 18
• Draws: 10

South Africa holds a slight advantage in the last five meetings, but all were played on home soil. The hosts, India, will look to capitalize on their home advantage and recent form.

Pitch and Conditions

The Eden Gardens pitch is a classic subcontinental surface that is expected to offer assistance to both seamers and spinners. Here's the breakdown:

• Seam Conditions: The pitch is likely to assist fast bowlers in the first session, with green tinge and some lateral movement.
• Spin Conditions: As the game progresses, the track is expected to slow down and offer significant turn, especially in the second and third sessions of the match.
• Weather: Generally dry and favorable for cricket throughout the week.

Team News & Key Players

India (likely XI):

Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

• Shubman Gill continues as captain, leading a youthful and aggressive side.
• Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are key to India's spin attack, with the latter being the spearhead on this pitch.
• Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack, supported by Mohammed Siraj and possibly Arshdeep Singh as the third seamer.

South Africa (likely XI):

Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Dean Elgar, Rassie van der Dussen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj

• Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to lead the pace attack, with the former looking to exploit the early seam and bounce.
• Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj are the spin options, with Keshav being the more experienced of the two.
• Temba Bavuma will be the focal point of the batting lineup, with Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen providing crucial middle-order stability.

Playing Conditions and Tactics

• India will look to build partnerships and post a competitive total, taking advantage of the spin-friendly conditions in the second innings.
• South Africa will likely focus on aggressive strokeplay and counter-attack, especially with players like David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen in the side.
• The battle between India's spin trio (Ashwin, Jadeja, and possibly Kuldeep Yadav) and South Africa's spin duo (Mulder, Maharaj) will be crucial in determining the match outcome.

Historical Performances at Eden Gardens

• India's top run-getters at Eden Gardens include VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar, with Laxman being the highest scorer (1217 runs).
• India's top wicket-takers are Harbhajan Singh (46 wickets), Anil Kumble (40 wickets), and Mohammed Shami (23 wickets).
• South Africa's top run-getters include Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, while Lance Klusener is the most successful wicket-taker (8 wickets in 1 Test).

Match Prediction & Key Battle

This match promises to be a tactical and technical battle between two evenly matched teams, with the home conditions likely to favor India slightly.

• Key Battle 1: Ravindra Jadeja vs Heinrich Klaasen – Jadeja's left-arm spin could unsettle Klaasen’s timing.
• Key Battle 2: Ravichandran Ashwin vs David Miller – Ashwin’s variations will be tested by Miller’s aggressive strokeplay.
• Key Battle 3: Jasprit Bumrah vs Aiden Markram – Bumrah’s yorkers could trouble Markram early in the innings.

Final Prediction

While South Africa has a strong batting lineup and pace attack, the spin-friendly conditions and home advantage make India the favorites.

Prediction: India by 60-80 runs (4-day Test), unless South Africa's batsmen fire on a challenging pitch.

Toss Importance

The toss will be crucial in this match. A win for the team batting first could allow them to post a total that exploits the green tinge in the early stages, while the team batting second could benefit from the deteriorating conditions in the second and third sessions.

Conclusion

The 1st Test between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens is set to be a high-stakes encounter with a blend of spin, seam, and strokeplay. The battle for dominance between the two teams will be fascinating to watch, and the outcome could set the tone for the rest of the series.

Time to watch: 4:00 AM GMT, Friday, November 14, 2025
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