Bavuma believes the current squad, unbeaten in a full-strength Test series since coach Conrad took charge in 2023, has the maturity and belief to challenge India and script a rare away series win.
While Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj are certain starters, Akash Deep remains the third pace option in the squad.
South Africa will have to find a way to deal with the lethal opening spells of India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah before the spinners come into play in the two-Test series beginning on Friday, said Graeme Smith on Wednesday. Smith said neither team would want to lose wickets to pacers before spin comes into play. I think it's never at the forefront of people's conversation when you play cricket in the subcontinent but I think the South African team will definitely be preparing for how they're going to handle spin, SA20 league commissioner Smith told the media here. But getting off to a solid start, having a top three that can lay a platform for you, there's nothing worse than if you go two or three down and then the spinners come on and you're against the game already. So countering Bumrah up front is going to be a big thing, and Rabada as well for India. They're world-class bowlers with world-class Test records, he said. Smith said it will be a challenge in particular for Rabada t
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate is hoping that his batters have learnt lessons from the rare series-defeat at home against New Zealand last year as the hosts get ready to take on spin-heavy Proteas in the two-Test rubber, starting Friday. Armed with a potent spin attack, taking on South Africa seems like competing against a "subcontinent team", Ten Doeschate said, admitting that they need to get better at negotiating the challenge posed by tweakers. South Africa's recent Test series in Pakistan saw their spin quartet of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen take 35 wickets to draw the two-match series 1-1. "They have got four (three specialist) spinners at their disposal. Most likely they will play three and it is a little bit like playing against a subcontinent team," Ten Doeschate said during a media interaction ahead of the opening Test. The Proteas arrive with a balanced attack in both pace and spin. If Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen
South Africa, despite being among the most consistent Test sides globally, have struggled in India, losing their last two series in 2015 and 2019 without a single win.
The 24-year-old has been in exceptional touch, scoring four centuries in his last five first-class matches, including twin tons against South Africa 'A' in Bengaluru last week.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj highlighted the importance of consistency and rhythm in what he called a crucial series for India's WTC campaign.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who was part of the A' team's unofficial Test series in Bengaluru, was the last to join the senior squad on Monday morning as the visitors assembled in full strength ahead of the opening Test against India beginning at the Eden Gardens on Friday. The first batch of the South African contingent, including head coach Shukri Conrad, pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, along with the players who featured in the white-ball series in Pakistan, had arrived on Sunday morning. "Bavuma, along with another player and a few officials, arrived this morning from Bengaluru. Most of the squad including the head coach had already checked in on Sunday,," the South Africa teams local manager told PTI. "So, South Africa now have their full contingent in. There's no activity scheduled at the Eden today... Most likely, both teams will have their first training session on Tuesday." Bavuma, who had suffered a calf strain and missed the start of South Africa's Wor
Pant received two medical treatments on the field before walking off and was replaced by Dhruv Jurel at the crease
Dhruv Jurel gave a scintillating demonstration of his technical nous with a fighting hundred, carrying India A to a respectable 255 all out after a top-order malfunction against South Africa A on the first day of the four-day match here on Thursday. Asked to bat first, India A were in serious trouble, some of their own making, at 126 for seven, but Jurel (132 not out, 175b, 12x4, 4x6) and Kuldeep Yadav (20, 87b) milked 79 runs for a doughty eighth-wicket stand to bail them out. Jurel's innings stood out for its marvellous adherence to batting technique, helping him survive the vagaries of conditions, pitch and relentlessness of Protean bowlers under largely overcast skies. His batting neither touches the vast expanses nor does it have an element of derring-do, but it's based on stunning compactness that allows him to collect runs stealthily. Even the six he hit off off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen over long on was not an explosive act, but more a melange of timing and precise ball ...
The live streaming of the India vs South Africa Test series will be available on the JioHotstar app and website in India
All the matches of the India A vs South Africa A ODI series will be played at Rajkot's Niranjan Shah Stadium
Some notable names missing from India's squad are Prasidh Krishna, who was part of the last two Test series, while Mumbai batter Sarfaraz once again fails to find a spot in the 15-member squad
Pant missed India's recent Test series against the West Indies while recovering from the injury he sustained during the fourth Test against England in Manchester.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal hailed the victory as a watershed moment, drawing parallels with India's iconic 1983 Men's World Cup win.
India vs South Africa ICC Women's WC 2025 Final: Harmanpreet Kaur and co. have won the thrilling by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai to be crowned world champions for the first time.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the Women in Blue will be looking to achieve their maiden World Cup triumph and lift the prestigious trophy.
India and South Africa chase their maiden ICC Women's World Cup title in Navi Mumbai, but a rain threat looms large over the historic final that could even produce joint champions
Resuming at 119 for 4, India A required 166 runs to chase down a target of 275. Pant (90 off 113 balls, 11 fours, 4 sixes) joined hands with Ayush Badoni (34 off 47) to forge a rapid 63-run stand.
The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 final between India and South Africa in Navi Mumbai is set for hot, humid conditions, with rising rain chances through the day and a reserve day in place