IND vs SA 1st Test 2025: The initial test of the two-Test series between the India national cricket team and the South Africa national cricket team will be held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 14 November 2025.
The game is an extremely pivotal one: On the one hand, India would want to get off the ground with a bang at home after the change of captain, and on the other, South Africa, the current World Test Champions, would be very much determined to prove their superiority in India. As per their past encounters, both the venue and the pitch will have a deciding say in how the battle unfolds.
India (Probable XI):
KL Rahul; Yashasvi Jaiswal; Sai Sudharsan; Shubman Gill (c); Rishabh Pant (wk); Dhruv Jurel; Ravindra Jadeja; Washington Sundar; Kuldeep Yadav; Mohammed Siraj; Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa (Probable XI):
Aiden Markram; Ryan Rickelton; Tristan Stubbs; Tony de Zorzi; Temba Bavuma (c); Kyle Verreynne (wk); Senuran Muthusamy; Simon Harmer; Keshav Maharaj; Marco Jansen; Kagiso Rabada.
Note the selection dilemmas: India are deliberating between an extra seamer or more spin. South Africa bring a more balanced attack combining pacers and specialist spinners, reflecting a shift in their Test identity.
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The pitch at Eden Gardens is described as a balanced surface: early help for pace/ seam, and then some assistance for spinners as the match progresses.
The curator has indicated there will be “decent bounce” and that turn, bounce & carry might come into play from Day 2 or 3.
Clubbed with the fact that there’s not expected to be a “rank-turner” surface (as confirmed by Sourav Ganguly, president of the Cricket Association of Bengal).
In fact, historical data shows that at Eden, pace bowlers have claimed 61% of wickets over the last 15 years in Tests.
Conditions look favourable: for the full five days, rain is not expected to disrupt play.
Typical temperatures: Mornings around 18-20 °C, afternoons reaching up to ~29-30 °C. Humidity moderate.
So fans and players should expect relatively comfortable weather, ideal for a full Test match.
In India: The match will be televised across the Star Sports Network.
Live streaming: Available via Jio Hotstar app and website.
Start time: 9:30 AM IST (first innings) on 14 November.
Make sure you’re logged in or have the subscription ready if streaming; TV broadcast may vary by region.
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