India vs South Africa, 2nd Test Day 1: All Eyes on Guwahati Pitch After Kolkata Collapse
Guwahati, India - India and South Africa are set to clash in the second and final Test of their series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, beginning today, November 22, 2025. Following a shocking 30-run defeat in the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, the pressure is on the Indian team to bounce back and level the series. A loss or draw in this match would hand South Africa their first series win in India in 25 years.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first. Captain Temba Bavuma stated that the wicket looks better than the one in Kolkata and the team is eager to perform well. He also mentioned that fundamentals remain the same, and they aim to put up a big score. Senuran Muthusamy replaced Corbin Bosch in the South African playing XI.
India has been dealt a blow with Shubman Gill ruled out of the match due to a neck injury sustained during the first Test. Rishabh Pant will captain the side in his absence. Sai Sudharsan is set to replace Gill in the playing XI, likely batting at number 3. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Axar Patel in the team.
The condition of the pitch at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium is under close scrutiny after the first Test ended in under three days on a turning track at Eden Gardens. There is curiosity to see if the Guwahati pitch will offer more turn than Eden. Dinesh Karthik shared a glimpse of the pitch, noting a decent amount of grass on a red soil pitch, suggesting it would be a different game compared to the series opener in Kolkata. He expects the first hour to be challenging for the batters. The pitch is expected to be slow, potentially assisting the spinners as the game progresses.
This is the first Test match to be held at this venue. The lack of historical data adds an element of unpredictability to the contest. The weather forecast indicates a low chance of rain in Guwahati, with the maximum temperature predicted to be 28°C.
Rishabh Pant's captaincy will be under scrutiny after some questionable decisions in the first Test, particularly regarding the delayed use of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj on the third morning.
India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa Playing XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (C), Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj.
The match is scheduled to start at 9:00 AM IST and will likely conclude around 4 PM, with tea being taken before lunch to maximize daylight hours due to the early sunset in Guwahati. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
