Will spin rule the roost at Eden Gardens? Or will India's famed batting line-up once again rise to the occasion like they did in England?
As Kolkata braces for the opening Test between from Friday, all eyes are on the pitch and on how Shubman Gill's young team can perform against the World Test champions South Africa, who are known for pushing above their weight.
For India, this series offers a shot at redemption after their horror showing against New Zealand last year, when they suffered a humiliation of a 3-0 series sweep in a home series for the first time in their cricketing history.
A look at the key talking points ahead of the first Test:
Pace Battle: Rabada vs Bumrah
The series promises a fascinating duel between two modern-day pace greats.
Jasprit Bumrah's role with the new ball could be pivotal along with Mohammed Siraj, with the duo also likely to get some reverse swing with the old ball. If Bumrah can strike early the inexperienced middle order of South Africa may be exposed against the Indian spinners.
Bumrah has always relished playing against the Proteas. In eight Tests against them, he has picked up 38 wickets at a superb average of 20.76, with three five-wicket hauls.
At home, Bumrah has not only delivered with the new ball but also has been deadly with the reverse swing later in the innings. His home record is excellent with 54 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 17.59.
South Africa will bank on Kagiso Rabada delivering some match-winning spells, while Marco Jansen's IPL experience in Indian conditions adds a useful edge.
Rabada's face-off with young Yashasvi Jaiswal could be a treat for the fans. The fearless left-hander likes to dominate the bowlers outset, but taking on Rabada with the new ball won't be easy.
Rabada's overall Test record against India is impressive with 55 wickets in 14 matches at 22.60, but in India he has managed just nine wickets in six Tests at 44.00.
Can Gill, Rahul tame SA's spinners?
Captain Shubman Gill faces another big test of his leadership.
Gill's stellar batting form in England proved he is not weighed down by the burden of captaincy, guiding an inexperienced Indian side to a creditable 2-2 draw before they trounced the West Indies 2-0 at home last month.
But South Africa, touring India for a Test series after six years, look better equipped this time to challenge the hosts in their own backyard. Their 1-1 draw in Pakistan before travelling to India offered a valuable lesson in handling subcontinental conditions.
They appear well prepared to counter India in their own game, armed with a potent troika of spinners, who troubled Pakistan batters throughout the series. Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy picked up combined 35 of the 39 wickets to fall across two Tests to give South Africa hopes of an upset.
The Proteas will also have studied how India crumbled against New Zealand's spinners exactly a year ago, when Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips shared 36 wickets to seal a historic 3-0 sweep.
India will be wary of preparing rank turners, knowing it could backfire by bringing the South African spinners into the contest.
Ideally, India would prefer a balanced surface, offering true bounce early on before gradually aiding spin -- a pitch that helps batters settle and keeps pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in contention later on.
Senior pro K L Rahul is another vital cog the Indian batting line-up. He was the standout batter for India in England after Gill, amassing 532 runs at an average of 53.20, with two centuries and as many fifties. He carried that good form in the West Indies series at home, with a century and an unbeaten fifty in three innings.
Two keepers in playing XI
India has long prided itself on home dominance -- going 12 years unbeaten with 18 consecutive series wins before the shock defeat against New Zealand. That legacy will definitely add some extra pressure heading into the Kolkata opener.
Cricket Association of Bengal President Sourav Ganguly has ruled out a 'rank-turner' but one can expect the spinners to play a significant role from the second or third day onwards.
India will count on their batting depth including all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to contribute with the bat lower down the order, especially if they have to bat last on a deteriorating wicket on Day 4 or 5.
The in-form Dhruv Jurel looks set to slot in at No. 6 ahead of Devdutt Padikkal. Jurel has impressed as a wicketkeeper-batter whenever Rishabh Pant has been unavailable, amassing 430 runs in seven Tests at 47.77 with a century and a fifty.
His twin tons in the second four-day match for India A against South Africa A recently with scores of 132 and 127 have made his inclusion a no-brainer.
Rishabh Pant, returning to action after a four-month injury lay-off, looked in good rhythm with back-to-back fifties against South Africa A.
Can Sudharsan finally make it count?
However, Sai Sudharsan's place remains firmly under the scanner. He squandered encouraging starts in the West Indies Test series, managing just fifty in the three innings, while he fumbled again for India A failing to get past 40 in four innings against South Africa A.
Sudharsan struggled to make a mark in England where the other batters thrived as he managed 140 runs in six innings, with just a single fifty.
In the three innings against West Indies, he failed to convert good start into a big knock -- getting dismissed 87 in the first innings of the Delhi Test, while in the other two innings of the series he made 7 and 39.
Sudharsan must realise that time is running out for him as the vital No 3 position demands consistency. With the likes of Jurel and Padikkal in the squad, it won't be long before the team management decide to give up on him.
Can spin win it for India?
India are spoilt for choices in the spin department.
Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav are likely starters, with Axar Patel set to miss out despite a stellar record at home.
Kuldeep could turn out to be India's X-factor with the ball. He was the highest wicket-taker against the West Indies, picking up 14 wickets in two Tests at an average of 19.50.
While Axar's batting adds depth, India can't afford to leave out a wrist spinner of the quality of Kuldeep especially against South Africa, who have always struggled against spinners.
Jadeja will lead the spin attack. He is not only hard to get away in Indian pitches, but can also run through the South African batting line-up if he gets some help.
At home, Jadeja is the most difficult to play against with an amazing record of 246 wickets in 51 games, averaging 20.91, including 13 five-wicket hauls out of which three are 10-wicket match hauls.
Kuldeep, who has just played 15 Tests since his debut in 2017, will be keen to spin a web around the Proteas batters. He has played 11 Tests at home, in which he has claimed 50 wickets at an average of 22.56, with three five-wicket hauls.
With a couple of left-handers in the South Africa top and middle order, off-spinner Sundar might edge out Axar as the third spinner.
Axar will feel unlucky to miss despite a fantastic record at home -- with 47 wickets from 12 Tests at an incredible average of 18.65 with five five-wicket hauls.
India also can't afford to take South Africa's spinners lightly, especially after their incredible showing in Pakistan. Harmer, 36, claimed 13 wickets in two Tests in Pakistan, with Maharaj bagging nine in the second Test and Muthusamy took 11 wickets in the first Test and scored a match-winning 89 not out in the next game.
However, the batting could be a weak link for the Proteas. Except for Tony de Zorzi (175 runs) and Ryan Rickelton (155) the other batters including Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis struggled on the spin-friendly pitches in Pakistan.
The South African batters will need to play positively against spin, or risk being suffocated by the Indian spinners' relentless accuracy and control.
India's Record At Eden Garden!
Overall, India has played 42 Tests at Eden Gardens, winning 13, losing nine and 20 draws. South Africa has featured in three Tests at this venue, winning the first match they played in 1996 by 329 runs but finished on the losing side in the next two -- in 2004 (8 wickets) and 2010 (innings and 57 runs).
In the last 10 Tests played at this venue, India have won seven, losing one and two draws. The only defeat India have suffered at the Eden Gardens in the last 25 years came against England in December 2012. Before that, India's previous loss at Eden Gardens was in 1999 to Pakistan.
The last Test at the venue, in November 2019, saw India thrash Bangladesh by an innings and 46 runs.
For Gill's India, the series against South Africa will be a chance to assert their home domination and erase the nightmares of last year's New Zealand setback.
© 2025