Overview
- South Africa won the toss in Guwahati and chose to bat under a revised 9:00 a.m. start with a 20-minute tea break before lunch to maximize daylight.
- India handed the captaincy to Rishabh Pant, who becomes the nation’s 38th Test skipper, with Shubman Gill ruled out due to a neck injury.
- India made two changes as Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy came into the XI, while South Africa brought in Senuran Muthusamy for Corbin Bosch.
- Early pitch readings point to a red-soil surface with a decent grass cover, testing batters early before offering more assistance to spin later.
- Barsapara becomes India’s 30th Test venue and hosts the country’s 300th Test, with live coverage on Star Sports and streaming on JioHotstar.