India vs South Africa 2nd Test Playing 11, live timings, live streaming

Rishabh Pant to lead India in Guwahati Test as Shubman Gill ruled out due to neck spasm. The live toss for IND vs SA 2nd Test will take place at 8:30 AM IST

Team India enter the second Test in Guwahati with their backs to the wall, needing a victory to square the two-match series. With Shubman Gill ruled out and Rishabh Pant stepping in as stand-in captain on a likely spin-friendly Barsapara surface, the young side finds itself in an unfamiliar position — home underdogs.

 

The dominance that once defined India’s home Test cricket — built on suffocating spin, depth of experience and clarity in conditions — has thinned over the past two seasons. Coach Gautam Gambhir, already under scrutiny for puzzling tactical calls, stares at the possibility of a bruising statistic: a 0-5 home record against two SENA nations. The scars from Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner’s demolition in 2024 have barely healed, and South Africa’s Simon Harmer has reopened them with cold precision.

 

Against this backdrop of technical fragility, tactical uncertainty and evaporating confidence, Pant takes the reins.

 

Gill’s injury: The unspoken certainty finally confirmed

 

Shubman Gill was never expected to recover in time after suffering neck spasms in the opening Test. That much was widely understood, though the team management and the BCCI maintained their familiar cloak of ambiguity until the last moment.

 

Gill has now left Guwahati to rest and recuperate, according to various media reports. His absence leaves a hole at No. 4 that India must urgently fill.

 

Sai Sudharsan appears the likeliest replacement, though whether he slots in at Gill’s position or the team persists with Washington Sundar in a floating role remains undecided.

 

Gill’s absence is more than a selection hiccup — it exposes the brittle structure of an already fragile top order struggling for technical clarity on turning tracks.

 

Meanwhile, South Africa are expected to make no changes in their winning combination. However, Kagiso Rabada may find a place in South Africa Playing 11 if he passes the fitness Test.

 

India vs South Africa Playing 11 prediction

 

India Playing 11 (probables): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel/Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

 

South Africa Playing 11 (probables): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen/Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj.

 

India vs South Africa head-to-head in Tests

 

Total matches played: 44

South Africa won: 18

India won: 16

Drawn: 10

 

Pant’s captaincy record: A new test of leadership in red-ball cricket

 

Pant has led India before — most notably a T20I side against South Africa when Rohit Sharma was rested — but his red-ball captaincy record is thin. His only major leadership experience in long-form cricket came in the 2017 Ranji Trophy final, where he captained Delhi to a runners-up finish behind Vidarbha.

 

The more significant observations, however, will stem from the choices he made during the second evening and third morning of the first Test in Kolkata. His field placements, bowling changes and tactical risk-taking offered glimpses of his instinctive style — bold, occasionally impulsive, and unafraid to challenge convention.

 

Pant now faces a far sterner examination. His batting on a red-soil Barsapara pitch expected to turn sharply will be as crucial as the decisions he takes under pressure. India need both: runs from Pant the batter and clarity from Pant the captain.

 

India’s wider woes: A vulnerable side searching for identity

 

India’s vulnerability against high-quality spin has been stark. The footwork, judgement and game plans that once defined their mastery at home have frayed. The collapse against New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner in 2024 signalled cracks; Harmer and his colleagues have widened them.

 

The team’s mindset on surfaces that deteriorate rapidly has also shifted, often veering into chaos. Gambhir may have the backing of influential voices in the BCCI, but results will shape the narrative — and another home defeat risks leaving a permanent mark on his coaching tenure.

 

Against a disciplined South Africa, India must rediscover their mental resilience as much as their technical game.

 

Squads of both teams

 

India squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Akash Deep

 

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Zubayr Hamza, Kagiso Rabada, Senuran Muthusamy, Dewald Brevis

 

India vs South Africa 2nd Test live toss time, IND vs SA live streaming and telecast

 

When and where will the 2nd Test between India and South Africa take place?

 

India vs South Africa 2nd Test will begin on November 22 at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.

 

At what time will live toss take place on Day 1 of India vs South Africa 2nd Test?

 

The live toss on Day 1 of IND vs SA 2nd Test will take place at 8:30 AM IST.

 

At what time will live match begins during India vs South Africa 2nd Test?

 

The India vs South Africa 2nd Test live match will begin at 9 AM IST

 

Which TV channels will live telecast India vs South Africa 2nd Test in India?

 

The live telecast of India vs South Africa 2nd Test will be available on Star Sports Network.

 

How can fans watch the live streaming of IND vs SA 2nd Test in India?

 

Fans can watch the live streaming of India vs South Africa 2nd Test in india on JioHotstar app and website.