Overview
- Play is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST with the toss at 9:00 AM at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
- Live coverage in India will air on Star Sports with streaming on Disney+ Hotstar/JioHotstar.
- Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate indicated Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel are both under consideration, with the XI to be confirmed on match day.
- South Africa arrive as the reigning World Test Champions for the first India–South Africa Test on Indian soil since 2020.
- The pitch is expected to offer early assistance for pacers before bringing spinners into play, and the forecast is dry with hazy conditions and very unhealthy air quality.