Temba Bavuma of South Africa plays a shot during the first Test match in the series between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens on 15 November 2025 in Kolkata. (Photo: Prakash Singh / Getty Images) 
The Proteas have the chance to create history in the second and final Test against India in Guwahati starting on Saturday.
A second victory would see South Africa (SA) claim their first series win in the country in 25 years. On that occasion SA sealed a four-wicket win in the first Test match in Wankhede, and an innings and 71-run win in the second in Bangeluru, thanks to the all-round efforts of Jacques Kallis, who was awarded as player of the series.
In the ranks then was also Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock, Daryll Cullinan, Allan Donald and Gary Kirsten, while the side was led by Hansie Cronje.
It was a formidable South African outfit. The players in the side currently in India do not carry the same reputation, but they can stamp their names in the same history books with a win in Guwahati.
They will have to do it without the one player with a big reputation in their ranks in Kagiso Rabada, after the big quick was ruled out for the second Test.
Key injuries on both sides
Both teams will be without important players, however. India have lost their captain Shubman Gill, after the neck strain he suffered attempting to sweep in the first innings of the first Test.
Rabada’s “rib bone stress injury”, as reported by Cricket South Africa, is more serious than previously suspected. The fast bowler is also ruled out of SA’s white ball matches against India.
The 30-year-old will undergo a four-week rehabilitation program.
The Proteas have called up Lungi Ngidi, who could play Test cricket for the first time since the World Test Championship final in June, for the Test in Guwahati.
India, meanwhile, are likely to select one of Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal or Nitish Kumar Reddy. If one of this trio are selected, it will take their tally of left-handers in the starting XI to seven.
/file/attachments/2984/2246920244_462230.jpg "Simon Harmer successfully takes the catch of Washington Sundar during the First Test match in the series between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (Photo: Prakash Singh / Getty Images)")
In the first Test, off-spinner Simon Harmer had a field day while bowling to the left-hand dominant side, taking eight wickets for only 51 runs. Six of those eight wickets (three in each innings) were of left-handers.
Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will lead the Indian side in Gill’s absence.
Early start
A draw would also be enough for a series win for South Africa, but that result is becoming increasingly rare in Test cricket.
The rank spin in the first Test match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata meant that the match only went to day three and lasted only 206.2 overs.
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma believes the conditions in Guwahati won’t be as exaggerated this time around.
“I think it will be more of a traditional subcontinent wicket,” he said on the eve of the second Test. “[It will be] good for batting on the first two days, and then on day three the spinners should come into play.
“So, all of the fundamentals that come with playing in the subcontinent.”
“The first innings becomes crucial from a batting point of view to really set the game up. Then your spinners, in our case, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, supported by Aiden [Markram], will come into the game in the second or latter half of the game.”
/file/attachments/2984/2246659409_307604_284a336b728b408788cc2e7ede132042.jpg "Keshav Maharaj bowls during the First Test between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens. (Photo: Prakash Singh / Getty Images)")
Nonetheless, South Africa are expected to head into the match with both the spinners that did the damage in the first Test.
Whether Corbin Bosch – who was solid without being outstanding with the ball on a helpful pitch, while contributing vital runs with the bat – will retain his place over Ngidi will be the vital decision.
“When Ngidi was bowling yesterday, he was bowling as well as he’s ever bowled,” Bavuma said. “The last Test he played was at the [World Test Championship] he did quite well, so there’s confidence there.
“We’d like to feed off that confidence and the opportunity’s there for him to do well.”
Guwahati – which will be hosting its first-ever Test match – is close to the eastern most border of India, sandwiched between Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Even though India could potentially have three different time zones (with 2,933 km separating the western and the eastern most points of the country), the whole country operates under one time zone.
To combat the early setting sun in Guwahati, the match will start half an hour earlier (5:30am SAST) and the tea break will be taken before the lunch break. DM