India vs South Africa 1st Test 2025: Match Preview and Squad Analysis

The 1st test between India and South Africa is slated to start on November 14. It is a high-profile contest in which the Indian team is considered a bit favorite. They are playing on their home ground, which is why they have better chances to thump South Africa in the series opener. The captaincy record of Shubman Gill in tests is so far very good, so he will come into the field with high confidence to win yet another match.

As far as South Africa is concerned, they will back themselves to win this match with some smart tactics. They are coming into this series on the back of a strong performance against Pakistan recently. After winning the Rawalpindi test, they will now try to conquer the Eden Gardens, where their record is not much great.

In this article, we will analyze the match preparation and strategies of both teams. We will also take a look at their squads, as that will let us know about the key players who could play a major role in the upcoming contest.

Key Indian Stars to Watch Out for the 1st Test at Eden Gardens

India will rely on their batting prowess in the first test against South Africa. From Shubman Gill to KL Rahul, there are plenty of players present in their squad who could play a big knock in the series opener at Eden Gardens. The good thing is that all of these players are in good form, so their runs could give India an early edge in the match.

From the bowling perspective, Jasprit Bumrah is India’s star bowler who could rip through the Proteas batting line-up quickly. Alongside him, Mohammed Siraj will also be a key player, as his opening spells can give India early wickets in the match.

Key South African Stars to Watch Out for the 1st Test at Eden Gardens

South Africa are coming into the test series with plenty of new names in batting. These players have not played tests in India before, so it would be interesting to see how they will perform in the first match. From Tony de Zorzi to Dewald Brevis, there are various names who could surprise the hosts in the upcoming contest at Eden Gardens.

The bowling department of South Africa is looking well settled. From Kagiso Rabada to Keshav Maharaj, they have plenty of experienced names in fast bowling, as well as a spin bowling lineup. Together, they can pose a formidable challenge to the Indian team that is facing little issues in the middle order batting.

Probable India Playing XI for the 1st Test

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Probable South Africa Playing XI for the 1st Test

Temba Bavuma (c), Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada

Final Words

South Africa and India are ready to challenge each other in the 1st test at Eden Gardens. It would be interesting to see what type of pitch will be rolled out by the home side, because they usually prefer to play on spinning tracks. South Africa will know this challenge, and they have done plenty of preparation as well to counter it. The visitors would therefore be confident to take down the Indian bowling attack, though it won’t be an easy task.