Overview
- The two-Test series starts Friday in Kolkata before moving to Guwahati on Nov. 22, where Barsapara hosts its first men's Test and session times have been shifted earlier for daylight after Delhi was dropped over pollution concerns.
- Shubman Gill said spinners usually decide games in India, with the XI to be finalized after inspecting the surface and a live debate over an extra spinner versus a third seamer, including the Axar Patel–Kuldeep Yadav choice.
- Gill noted early moisture and potential reverse swing could bring Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj strongly into play, while acknowledging Mohammad Shami’s omission was a tough call given form from options like Akash Deep.
- Rishabh Pant returns to the squad, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate indicated Dhruv Jurel is hard to leave out as a specialist batter after strong A-team performances.
- South Africa arrive as reigning WTC winners with a spin-heavy threat led by Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy after their spinners dominated a 1-1 series in Pakistan.