South Africa’s World Test Champions face their biggest challenge yet as they embark on a tour of India, a country that has historically been a formidable opponent. But can they overcome their past struggles and rise to the occasion?
The South African team, reigning World Test Champions, have a daunting task ahead of them. In their previous seven Tests in India, they failed to even put up a fight, losing six of those matches convincingly. The conditions in India have proven to be a significant hurdle, as the team couldn’t adapt to the varying surfaces.
In the 2015-16 season, a young Indian side outplayed them on turning tracks, and in 2019-20, they were no match for the experienced home team on batting-friendly surfaces. The Indian spinners, who usually thrive on such pitches, averaged a modest 27.18, while their fast bowlers dominated with an average of 17.50.
As South Africa return to India in 2025-26, they bring a more experienced squad, but no major changes in their attack. Keshav Maharaj, their lead spinner, is back, along with Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy. Kagiso Rabada remains a key fast bowler.
South Africa will be hoping that India, who suffered a surprising loss to New Zealand last year and are still finding their feet, haven’t quite mastered the art of winning home Tests. While India comfortably beat the West Indies earlier this season, they weren’t invincible.
However, for South Africa to win a Test on this tour, they’ll need a lot of things to go their way, similar to New Zealand’s triumph last year. India currently sits third in the WTC points table, drawing 2-2 in England and defeating the West Indies 2-0. Meanwhile, South Africa has just started their title defense with a 1-1 draw in Pakistan.
Form Guide:
– India: WWWDL (last five Tests, most recent first)
– South Africa: WLWWW
Players to Watch:
– Keshav Maharaj: With 60 Tests under his belt, Maharaj is one of the most experienced left-arm spinners in Test cricket, second only to Ravindra Jadeja. He’ll have a crucial role in India, where spin-friendly conditions are unlikely, and he’ll need to deliver wickets and control.
– Shubman Gill: India’s rising all-format star, Gill has had a packed schedule, playing T20s, ODIs, and Tests back-to-back. His ability to readjust to the longest format will be crucial.
Team News:
– India has decided to include both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant in their playing XI. Pant, the No. 1 Test wicketkeeper, returns from injury, while Jurel will bat as a specialist. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played against the West Indies, will now join the India A side.
– South Africa is likely to stick with the winning combination from their previous Test against Pakistan, with Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, and Tristan Stubbs forming a strong top order. The returning captain, Temba Bavuma, will add stability to the middle order.
Pitch and Conditions:
The pitch at Eden Gardens is expected to be a good batting track, with little grass and no excessive dryness. This could bring reverse swing into play, making the toss a crucial factor.
Stats and Trivia:
– Shubman Gill has won only one toss in seven Tests as captain, and South Africa hasn’t won the toss in their last seven Tests in India. One of these streaks will end on Friday.
– Kyle Verreynne, South Africa’s wicketkeeper, is just five dismissals away from becoming the fifth South African to reach 100 Test dismissals.
– Ravindra Jadeja is on the cusp of history, needing just ten runs to become the fourth player in the world with 300 wickets and 4000 runs in Tests.
Controversy Alert:
But here’s where it gets interesting. Some argue that India’s recent success against the West Indies doesn’t truly reflect their ability, as the West Indies team was relatively inexperienced. Is this a fair assessment, or is India’s current form being underestimated? Share your thoughts in the comments!