South Africa’s skipper, Temba Bavuma, arrived in Kolkata to join the national team on Monday morning, completing the squad ahead of the upcoming Test against India at Eden Gardens starting on Friday. Bavuma, who recently captained South Africa ‘A’ in their unofficial Test series against India A in Bengaluru, was the final player to join the senior squad. The team manager confirmed his arrival along with a few other members from Bengaluru, noting that most of the squad had already checked in the previous day.
The initial group of South African players, including head coach Shukri Conrad, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and those returning from the Pakistan white-ball series, landed in Kolkata on Sunday. The team now has a full roster present, with both teams expected to begin training sessions on Tuesday.
Bavuma, who missed the start of South Africa’s World Test Championship campaign due to injury, returned to action for the ‘A’ team, contributing significantly with a determined 59 in the second unofficial Test. Another member, Zubayr Hamza, known for his spin-handling skills, has also joined the main squad after his impressive performances.
On the Indian side, the initial players, including Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel, arrived in Kolkata after the Australia tour. The rest of the squad, featuring players like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, are expected to arrive soon.
Both teams are gearing up for their first training sessions at Eden Gardens in preparation for the Test series. India comes into the series following a challenging Australia tour, while South Africa looks to wrap up their red-ball commitments for the year.
The upcoming series serves as India’s final red-ball challenge for the year before their next Test in 2026. South Africa is also set to conclude their red-ball appearances for 2025, with future engagements planned for 2026 against Australia and England.