India vs South Africa: Team India experienced a mixed outcome in their recently concluded white ball tour of Australia, having lost the 3-match ODI series by 1-2, but triumphed in the 5-match T20I series with a 2-1 outcome.
It’s time for the Indians to host South Africa in the multi-format contest, starting with the 2-match test series.
However, the Indian team under Shubman Gill’s captaincy has a tough challenge ahead to clinch a convincing victory in the red-ball series against the reigning champions of the World Test Championship (WTC).
With a few hours left for the high-voltage battle between the two heavyweights, let’s predict both teams’ chances to secure a victory in the series opener.
It’s time to make this preview more intriguing by predicting the best playing XI combination of both teams based on the head-to-head stats of IND vs SA in tests, weather reports in Kolkata, and pitch conditions in Eden Gardens.
IND vs SA 1st Test 2025 Match Update
- Overall Series Structure: 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is
- Men’s Test Match Number: 2606
- Starting Date and Day: November 14 (Friday)
- Completing Date and Day: November 18 (Tuesday)
- Duration of IND vs SA 1st Test 2025: 5-Day Test Match
- Venue: Eden Gardens in Kolkata
- Seating Capacity: 68,000
- Match Timings in IST (Session Wise):
- Toss: 09 am
- Session 01: 09:30 am to 11:30 am
- Lunch: 11:30 am to 12:10 pm
- Session 02: 12:10 pm to 02:10 pm
- Tea Break: 02:10 pm to 02:30 pm
- Session 03: 02:30 pm to 04:30 pm
Head-to-Head Records of India vs South Africa in Tests
Analyzing the head-to-head records, South Africa slightly holds an upper edge over India in test cricket, having won 18 out of 44 matches:
| Information | India | South Africa |
| Total Matches Played (IND vs SA) | 44 | 44 |
| Won | 16 | 18 |
| Draw | 10 | 10 |
| No Result Games | 0 | 0 |
| IND vs SA Tests Won at Home | 11 | 13 |
| IND vs SA Tests Won Away | 5 | 5 |
| Tests Won at Neutral Venue (IND vs SA) | 0 | 0 |
| Highest Test Innings Total | 643/6 (declared) in 153 overs on 14th February 2010 (in Eden Gardens) | 620/4 (declared) in 130.1 overs on 16th December 2010 (in Centurion) |
| Lowest Test Innings Total | 66 all-out in 34.1 overs on 26th December 1996 (in Durban) | 55 all-out in 23.2 overs on the 3rd January 2024 (in Cape Town) |
India and South Africa WTC 2025-27 Latest Rankings
Here is how India maintains a better ranking compared to South Africa in the WTC 2025-27 cycle points table:
| Team | Rankings (out of 8) | Matches Won | Lost | Draw | Points and Percentage |
| INDIA | 3rd | 4 wins out of 8 matches | 2 losses | 1 Draw | 52 Points and 61.90 PCT |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 5th | 1 win out of 2 matches | 1 loss | 0 | 12 Points and 50 PCT |
Kolkata Weather Reports for IND vs SA 1st Test 2025
As per the latest weather forecast report in Kolkata, there are no chances of the 5-day test match getting interrupted due to heavy rains. In other words, the match will be played under a clear sky with temperatures estimated to range between 21 °C and 30 °C.
Eden Gardens Latest Pitch Report for IND vs SA 1st Test 2025
The pitches at Eden Gardens promise to be both pace and spin friendly for a five-day test match. For the first two days, there will be a high level of speed and bounce on this surface, but from Day 03 onwards, spinners will have a crucial role to play on such turning tracks.
Also, the shorter boundaries make it easier for batters to score runs by executing well-timed shots. As the match progresses, the pitch starts to become dry and forms cracks, which allows spinners to produce more variations.
Predicting the Toss Winning Captain’s Decision at Eden Gardens
Both the team captains (India and South Africa) will be keen to bat first after winning the toss in the first test at the Eden Gardens. This is because on Day 05, it becomes tougher for the batting side to survive against the spin bowling attack. So, both teams need to maintain a high level of discipline in terms of batting and bowling.
Predicted Playing XI Combination of India and South Africa in 1st Test 2025
India and South Africa are likely to maintain a huge depth in the batting and bowling line-up for the series opener. Here is how fans and experts have predicted both teams to build a strong playing XI combination in the following ways:
India’s Expected Playing XI vs South Africa 1st Test 2025:
| S.No | Player | Role | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
| 1. | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter | Left-Handed | – |
| 2. | KL Rahul | Batter (back-up wicketkeeper) | Right-Handed | – |
| 3. | Dhruv Jurel | Batter (back-up wicketkeeper) | Right-Handed | – |
| 4. | Shubman Gill (Captain) | Batter | Right-Handed | – |
| 5. | Rishabh Pant | Batter (main wicketkeeper) | Left-Handed | – |
| 6. | Washington Sundar | All-rounder | Left-Handed | Spin |
| 7. | Ravindra Jadeja | All-Rounder | Left-Handed | Spin |
| 8. | Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-Rounder | Right-Handed | Fast |
| 9. | Kuldeep Yadav | Bowler | – | Spin |
| 10. | Jasprit Bumrah | Bowler | – | Fast |
| 11. | Mohammed Siraj | Bowler | – | Fast |
South Africa’s Expected Playing XI vs India 1st Test 2025:
| S.No | Player | Role | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
| 1. | Aiden Markram | Batter | Right-Handed | – |
| 2. | Ryan Rickelton | Batter (backup wicketkeeper) | Left-Handed | – |
| 3. | Tristan Stubbs | Batter (backup wicketkeeper) | Right-Handed | – |
| 4. | Tony de Zorzi | Batter | Left-Handed | – |
| 5. | Kyle Verreynne | Batter (main wicketkeeper) | Right-Handed | |
| 6. | Temba Bavuma (Captain) | Batter | Right-Handed | – |
| 7. | Senuran Muthusamy | All-Rounder | Left-Handed | Spin |
| 8. | Corbin Bosch | All-Rounder | Right-Handed | Fast |
| 9. | Simon Harmer | Bowler | – | Spin |
| 10. | Keshav Maharaj | Bowler | – | Spin |
| 11. | Kagiso Rabada | Bowler | – | Fast |
1st Test 2025 Winner Prediction: India vs South Africa?
Both India and South Africa have equal chances of winning the series opener at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Overall, the team coming up with the strongest playing XI combination, consisting of an in-depth batting line-up and a strong bowling attack (particularly spinners), boasts higher chances to secure a convincing victory.