IND vs SA 1st Test 2025 Preview: Pitch, Weather, Head-to-Head, Playing XI And Streaming Details. The much-anticipated Test series between India and South Africa will kick off at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, November 14, 2025. The first test in the two-match series will be a part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle. India is willing to continue building on a great record at home, while South Africa wants to end a drought of 15 years of test series victories in India.
India will head into the series with newfound confidence coming off two home Test wins and with Shubman Gill at an opportune time to complete their WTC points tally at home. In South Africa, the WTC holders have arrived with a mix of experience and youth, including Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, and Kagiso Rabada, which makes the opposition a challenge. Both teams come into the series with momentum, and the first Test in Kolkata could prove important in deciding the Test series.
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Pitch Report
The Eden Gardens pitch is likely to provide an even contest between bat and ball. Morning sessions will help seamers with some movement in humid conditions, but as the game progresses, the spin bowlers will start to become effective, turning the ball consistently from Day 3 onwards. The pitch curator has assured that it won’t be a severe turner, allowing for a level playing field for both sides. Historically, Kolkata has provided results, with fast bowlers enjoying early breakthroughs before the spinners take over later on.
Weather Forecast
The weather in Kolkata is good for the five-day affair, with no major rain threat in the forecast and with daytime temperatures expected to be a low of 18°C and a high of 30°C. Slight haze is expected on the first two days, but it should clear as the match commences. The humidity will be around 60–70%, which can provide some swing early up.
Head-to-Head Record
India and South Africa have gone head-to-head 44 times in Test cricket. The Proteas lead slightly with 18 wins, India has 16 wins, and 10 matches ended in a draw. However, on Indian soil, the hosts have the upper hand, notching 11 wins in 19 Tests, and South Africa has won just 5. At Eden Gardens, India leads South Africa 2 to 1 all-time.
Possible Playing XIs
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (Wicketkeeper), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (Captain), Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada.
Streaming and Telecast Details
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network, and live streaming will be available on JioStar.
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Both sides have good bowling line-ups and exciting young batters, which will make this Test a thrilling contest. India will depend on their two spin bowlers, Jadeja and Kuldeep, who will be hoping to exploit conditions in Kolkata, whilst South Africa will look at Rabada and Harmer for important wickets. The first Test at Eden Gardens will thus be an excellent mixture of skill, strategy and high-quality cricket.