Proteas aim to upset the apple cart in unfamiliar Indian conditions

South Africa head into the first of two Test matches against India on Friday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata with history not in their favour.

India are formidable at home. Their 2-0 series trouncing over West Indies at the start of October saw them usurp South Africa as the third-most successful team at home in Test cricket, with 122 wins.

Only Australia (262) and England (241) — who have been playing Test cricket for more than 50 years longer — have more home wins.

But winning in India is not impossible, as New Zealand proved last year when they shocked the hosts with a 3-0 series win.

The last time India lost a series at home before that was against England in 2012.

Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma was in India last month to receive the “Exemplary Leadership Award” at the Ceat Cricket Awards 2025 for his contribution as a leader in cricket.

There, he ran into New Zealand batter Kane Williamson and, although Williamson didn’t take part in the tour to India, Bavuma tried to get a few tips on how to win in the country.

“I met up with Kane at an awards evening here in India a couple of months ago,” Bavuma told reporters on the eve of the clash against India. “I tried to ask him for some pointers.

“He wasn’t too open about it all. But he did say … to make sure that you win the toss, so I’ll be practising my coin tossing skills,” the captain joked.

Spinning wickets

What makes winning in the subcontinent, and India in particular, so difficult is the extreme turn the surfaces can take, as well as the home side’s proficiency with bat and ball in those conditions.

India’s skipper, Shubman Gill, said he didn’t expect the surface in Kolkata to turn from the outset, but that as the match progressed, it should have more purchase for the tweakers.

“I think generally fast bowlers get a little help in the morning and evening,” Gill said ahead of the two-match series.

“Whenever we play in India, more or less the spinners decide the game. The better the quality of the spin attack you have, the better chances you have of winning the match.”

India’s spin options for the opener include Ravindra Jadeja (left-arm orthodox), Washington Sundar (off-spin), Axar Patel (left-arm orthodox) and Kuldeep Yadav (left-arm wrist spin).

South Africa have Keshav Maharaj (left-arm orthodox) and Simon Harmer (off-spin) in their arsenal, with the left-arm finger spin of Senuran Muthusamy in reserve.

“You just have to play good cricket,” said Bavuma.

“It’s easy, but it’s hard when you come to India. You know the type of questions that they are going to ask from a bowling point of view, from a batting point of view. I believe our preparation is as good as it could have been.”

Back at the crease

South Africa’s squad in India — while playing in the subcontinent in the past year with tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan — has very little experience in India.

Eight of South Africa’s 15 players in India have never played a Test in the country: Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch.

Skipper Bavuma is coming off a calf injury that he sustained playing limited-overs cricket against England two months ago.

He played his first competitive match since his injury in Bengaluru last week, for South Africa A against India A.

He was dismissed for a first-ball duck in the first innings before striking 59 off 101 deliveries in the second as SA A scored 417 in their second dig to win by five wickets.

The Indian side had several first-choice players in their ranks, including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, Dhruv Jurel and Yadav, all of whom are expected to play starring roles for India across the next two weeks.

“It’s always nice to get a look at their bowlers,” said Bavuma after the match. “They also get to have a look at you, so it kind of works to their advantage.

“The biggest thing was, having come off a long day of Test cricket, getting back on the field proving my fitness to myself and everyone around, [and] spending some time at the crease.

“That was important — trying to make whatever adjustments I need to make with conditions here in the subcontinent. It was a good exercise.”

Perfect record

The scale of the series in India is enormous.

“Obviously, winning the World Test Championship [against Australia at Lord’s in June], I think [there’s] not much to trump that,” said Bavuma.

“But second to that will be winning in India. It’s something that’s — I wouldn’t say it’s eluded us, but we haven’t been able to do [it] for the longest time. So, that’s definitely up there in terms of ambition.”

The Proteas’ last victory in India was 25 years ago, in 2000.

Bavuma has never tasted defeat as Test captain, leading the Proteas to nine victories — including the World Test Championship final against Australia — and one draw in his 10 matches as skipper. The series in India will pose a stiff test to that record. DM