The WTC (World Test Championship) 2025 champions, South Africa (SA) have arrived in India to play a full-fledged bilateral series against the home team, India. Team India will play 2 tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is against the Proteas, and the tour will commence from November 14, 2025, with the 1st test in Kolkata. It will be an exciting test series considering India’s home test record and South Africa’s good run in the format recently. The visitors are here to challenge a strong Indian side, with a badge of current world champions as well. Today, we will preview the IND vs SA 2025 test series. We will also see the India vs South Africa head-to-head record in tests, players to watch out for, expected XIs, and more. So let’s begin.
IND vs SA 2025 Test Series Preview
India are set to host South Africa for a 2-match test series, starting from November 14 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The second test will start from November 22 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.
South Africa to Face Tough Challenge in India
South Africa, in the last 10 years or so, has not done well in tests in Asia, and more specifically in India. They have lost the last two series by 3-0 in 2015 and 2019. Their batters have struggled against the quality spin bowling of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin on rank turners in 2015. It was not the same case in 2019 as the pitches were good for batting, and the whole Indian bowling unit (including the fast bowlers) had dismantled the whole SA batting line-up.
Also, in the 2019 series, their bowlers failed to restrict the Indian batting line-up from scoring big in the first innings of all three games. Now, the visitors have a point to prove in this IND vs SA 2025 test series and to show their worth as the current world test champions. They are coming in after a hard-fought victory against Pakistan on a pitch that is alien to them.
India Too Much to Handle for SA
Team India has a firm record in home tests over the years. They have found ways to win games from difficult situations at home. The hosts have some quality spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel to trouble the SA batters. Not to forget the quality of Indian fast bowlers who can extract anything from the pitch.
India just has to play on merit. Their batters know how to score runs on these pitches, and the bowlers know how to hit good lengths. India lost a home test series 3-0 against New Zealand (NZ) last year. So they can’t be complacent and can’t take quality time like South Africa lightly. SA are also coming in with some quality spinners in Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer. They also have quality fast bowlers in KG Rabada and Marco Jansen, with some quality all-rounders in Senuran Muthusamy and Corbin Bosch.
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head Record (Tests):-
As of now (before the series), India and South Africa have played 44 tests against each other. South Africa have a slight edge with 18 wins. India are not too far behind as they have also managed to win 16 games. 10 tests ended in a draw.
Players to Watch Out For
India
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill is now the captain of the Indian test team. He led from the front in England and drew the series 2-2. Now, he has a very big assignment as captain for the first time at home against a quality side like South Africa. He has to lead from the front. The captain holds a very crucial position of No. 4 in batting. On the captaincy front as well, he has to make quick decisions, and if things are not going his way, he has to make a quick change to control the proceedings.
Kuldeep Yadav
If India has to choke the SA batters, they should have Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI. Even if nothing is happening on the pitch, Kuldeep can make things happen. He has the ability to spin the ball with some good variations in his arsenal. The only thing for Team India is their obsession with playing a spinner who can bat. That’s where Kuldeep might fall short. We have seen in the recent games that Kuldeep was missing in the playing XI because Nitish Reddy can bat, or Axar or Sundar can’t bat.
SA batters have struggled against the quality spinners over the years. And if there is a life in a pitch for the spinners, Kuldeep will make life difficult for the SA batters.
Jasprit Bumrah
We might think that the spinners will be the only way to win games in India. But mind you, Jasprit Bumrah is always a lethal weapon in any conditions. He can do the damage with the new ball, break partnerships, and has the ability to extract reverse swing (if the conditions are conducive) with the old ball.
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South Africa
Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram is the backbone of this SA batting lineup. He has improved his game against the spinners a lot in the last few years. Markram has also scored runs in Asia in test cricket and can play aggressive cricket to put the pressure back on the opposition. If he does well at the top, he can lay the foundation for the batters to come.
Tony de Zorzi
Tony de Zorzi has shown an immense ability to play spin well. In the last two test series for SA in Asia, he has scored a good number of runs. Remember his hundred in the 1st test against Pakistan in a recently concluded test series? The ball was turning square, but he applied himself well, backed his defence, and showed his ability to attack the spinners.
Keshav Maharaj
Probably the most important member for the visitors in this IND vs SA 2025 test series. If SA has to win games or to even challenge India, their spinners have to do well. And Keshav Maharaj is their trump card with some good performances in the last few years in Asia. Maharaj has not had a great outing when he toured India last time for a test series. The pitches were also not helpful for the spinners. But Maharaj has been a consistent performer for SA in tests, has taken loads of wickets since then, and has improved a lot as a bowler.
Maharaj and Co. have to bowl well to restrict India to a sizeable total so that their batters don’t have much pressure to catch up.
Toss – A Crucial Factor in IND vs SA 2025 Test Series
South Africa has to practice how to win the toss in India. Jokes apart, they have a very bad record when it comes to toss in tests in India. They have lost all 7 tosses in the last two test series in India. SA were always chasing the game in all the games. Toss is something which is very crucial, especially in test matches in Asia. Whoever team won the toss will most likely look to bat first, considering the pitches deteriorate as the game progresses.
We have also written a dedicated article on this topic. You can read the piece HERE.
What type of pitches can we expect in the IND vs SA 2025 Test Series?
India can take the risk of preparing rank turners against an overseas team that has struggled on this type of pitch in the past. But India itself could fall into the same trap because their batters haven’t performed particularly well on such pitches either. And if India lose the toss, things could get even tougher, as on these kinds of surfaces, even targets of 175–200 in the fourth innings are often not chased down.
We might expect some good pitches in the series, with some help for fast bowlers at the beginning. And as the game progresses, it will help the spinners coming into day 3, 4, or 5. There will be some help for the spinners, definitely, because the match is in India, but the first few days will be good for batting.
Expected Playing XIs for the first IND vs SA 2025 Test Series
India
India has their top 6 locked in: Jaiswal, Rahul, Sudharsan, Gill, Pant, and Jadeja. There are some talks that Jurel can play at No. 3, considering his good form in the A games, but looking at the situation, the Indian team management will look to back the left-hander as of now.
Bumrah and Siraj are the likely starters as the two out-and-out pacers. Sundar has also proved his worth with both bat and ball and is an off-spinning option. Now, the question arises: an all-rounder or Kuldeep? And in the all-rounder role: will it be a spin bowling all-rounder or a pace bowling all-rounder? Or will it be both?
It is almost certain that Dhruv Jurel will feature in India’s XI for the first test against SA. He has scored two back-to-back hundreds in the A games. That means Nitish Reddy has to make way for him. India has a spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel in the squad. Kuldeep is an attacking spin bowling option, and Nitish brings a third seam bowling option to the team. Axar has good numbers with both bat and ball in home tests, and he will be in consideration. But as of now, it looks like he might have to sit out.
India’s Expected Playing XI (1st Test) – Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj.
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South Africa
South Africa has some tough calls to make as they have to sit out a few good batters. Markram, Bavumba, de Zorzi are the likely starters in the XI. Rickelton has also done well in the last Asia tour in Pakistan. They have two very good youngsters in Stubbs and Brevis. Unfortunately, only one can feature in the XI as Bavuma is back in the team. Brevis has that X-factor, and he can do what Pant does for India. But Stubbs is ahead in the pecking order at the moment.
SA will surely go with Maharaj and Harmer as their two frontline spinners. Rabada and Jansen might also start as the two premium fast bowlers. Senuran Muthusamy might also get an opportunity to play in the first test. He has done well with the bat to win the 2nd test for South Africa against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. He will also be the third spin-bowling option for the team.
One player we wanted to talk about is Corbin Bosch. Ever since he has come into the Proteas setup, he has done well, whether it is an ODI, T20I, or Test. He has the ability to hit the deck hard and can bowl fast. The all-rounder also has the ability to score late-order runs. But unfortunately, he might lose a spot for Jansen, who can bring variety to the bowling attack with his left-arm option and can bat as well.
South Africa’s Expected Playing XI (1st Test) – Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada.
CONCLUSION: Who are the Favourites to Win the Series?
India will obviously start as favourites to win the series. They are very strong at home and have a good record against SA in tests. But don’t underestimate the South Africans. They have just won a test in Asia and have done well in Bangladesh in their last outing. So they have the players who know how to win games in Asia. They are the world champions, and if things go well and everyone clicks, they might beat India at their home as well.
Let’s see how things panned out in this IND vs SA 2025 test series. What’s your scoreline prediction for the series? Comment down below. Thank you for reading. Keep following sportschilly.com for the latest updates.
FAQs:-
(1) Has South Africa ever won a test series in India?
A. Yes. SA have won a test series once, in 2000.
(2) Has India ever won a test series in South Africa?
A. As of 2025, India has not won a test series in South Africa.
(3) How many test matches has South Africa won in India?
A. As of now, SA has won 5 tests in India.
(4) How many test matches has India won in South Africa?
A. As of 2025, India has won 5 tests in South Africa.
(5) When was the last time India and South Africa played a test series against each other?
A. The two teams played the test series last time in 2024 in South Africa. It was a 2-match series, which ended 1-1.
