South Africa are heading back to India after a 25‑year break from Test series victories, looking to break a long drought in the sub‑continent. The 2025‑26 tour will open at Eden Gardens on Friday, with Temba Bavuma’s team eager to become only the second visiting side since 2012 to win a series in India.
The Proteas have struggled to find rhythm on Indian pitches. They lost six of their last seven Tests here, and were on course to win the seventh before rain forced a draw. Even on spinning tracks and good batting surfaces, South Africa has been outplayed by the hosts. In 2015‑16 India turned the game on a young Proteas side, and in 2019‑20 the visit met a high‑scoring Indian batting line‑up that left the South African attack blank.
Now the squad features experienced players. Keshav Maharaj, the lead spinner from the previous tour, returns as the senior statesman, while Simon Harmer, Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada re‑join a familiar core. The Proteas will aim to use reverse swing more than conventional seam movement, setting a different threat on the pitches.
India is also in a period of transition. A surprise home loss to New Zealand last year exposed cracks, but the side recovered with a win against the West Indies earlier this season. Sitting third on the World Test Championship table, India have drawn at England and beaten the West Indies 2‑0. New captain Shubman Gill has been juggling formats across continents and will need to find his rhythm in the longest game.
Gill will test the Indian batting line‑up, with Rishabh Pant fully fit and Dhruv Jurel staying in the side as a specialist bat. The rest of the XI remains unchanged, and the team will face Zimbabwe‑born wicketkeeper‑keeper Kyle Verreynne, who is one wicket shy of 100 dismissals. India’s pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, will push for early breakthroughs.
The Eden Gardens pitch is expected to offer a good batting surface with little grass and the potential for reverse swing later in the match. The toss often proves crucial, and Gill has won only one toss in seven Tests as captain. South Africa have never won the toss in their last seven visits to India, making this series a tall order for both teams.
Fans can watch the series live on Star Sports Network channels, and the broadcasts are streamed in India on the JioHotstar app and website. The 2025 India vs South Africa Test series promises to be a battle of experience, ambition and classic cricketing drama.
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