MUMBAI, India (AP) — South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss on Friday and decided to bat against India in the first cricket test at Eden Gardens.
India have gone with four spinners, including three spin all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav is the fourth spinner, while Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj lead the pace attack.
Vice-captain Rishabh Pant is back in the playing side after suffering a foot injury in the series against England.
Pacer Kagiso Rabada misses out for World Test Championship winner South Africa because of a rib injury, replaced by medium pace all-rounder Corbin Bosch. The Proteas have opted for two spinners in Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj.
Kolkata is hosting its first test since 2019, when India and Bangladesh played a day-night test.
The second test will be played from Nov. 22 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, which hosted multiple games in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup but will become a men’s test venue for the first time.
Meanwhile, India dropped Sai Sudharsan, who was the designated No.3 batter in the longest format of the game. Sundar will bat at Sai’s position in Kolkata.
Recently, India beat West Indies 2-0, with left-arm wrist spinner Yadav the leading bowler with 12 wickets. South Africa drew a two-test series in Pakistan 1-1. The Proteas lost the first game but managed to thump the sub-continent team in the second and final game.
Lineups
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, K.L. Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj