South Africa captain Temba Bavuma completed his journey from Bengaluru to Kolkata on Monday morning, becoming the final player to join the squad ahead of Friday’s opening Test against India at Eden Gardens. His arrival brings the reigning World Test Champions to full strength just days before the series begins.​

Final Piece Falls in Place

Bavuma arrived with another player and a few officials early Monday after competing in the South Africa A team’s unofficial Test series in Bengaluru. The local team manager confirmed to PTI, “Most of the squad including the head coach had already checked in on Sunday. So, South Africa now have their full contingent in”.​

The first batch, featuring head coach Shukri Conrad, pace duo Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, and players returning from the white-ball series in Pakistan, had landed Sunday morning. With everyone now assembled, both teams are scheduled to begin their first training session at Eden Gardens on Tuesday.​

Return from Injury

Bavuma missed the start of South Africa’s World Test Championship title defense during the two-match series in Pakistan due to a calf strain. Aiden Markram led the side in his absence, with the series ending 1-1.​

Using the India A series to test his fitness, Bavuma played under Marques Ackerman’s captaincy in the second unofficial Test in Bengaluru. Despite a golden duck in the first innings, he bounced back with a determined 59 off 101 balls in the second dig, helping South Africa A clinch a five-wicket win and level the series 1-1.​

Hamza Joins from A Series

Middle-order batter Zubayr Hamza also made the trip from Bengaluru to Kolkata after featuring in both unofficial Tests. Known as a strong player of spin, Hamza struck two half-centuries, including 77 in the second innings of the final match at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.​

Hamza didn’t feature in the Pakistan Test series but could be in contention for a spot against India given his ability against spin bowling on turning tracks.​

India’s Squad Assembly

On the Indian side, captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel checked in late Sunday after their white-ball series in Australia. The remaining players, including Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Dhruv Jurel, are expected to arrive in batches through Monday.​

India wrapped up a mixed tour of Australia—losing the ODI series under Gill’s captaincy while Suryakumar Yadav led them to a 2-1 T20I series win.​

Final Red-Ball Assignment of 2025 This two-match series represents the last Test cricket both teams will play in 2025. For India, it caps off a World Test Championship cycle that began with a 2-2 draw in England under Gill’s captaincy and continued with a 2-0 sweep of the West Indies at home.​

India won’t play another Test until a scheduled one-off match against Afghanistan in June 2026, followed by away tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand later in the year.​

South Africa’s next red-ball action comes in September 2026 with back-to-back home series against Australia and England.​

The Challenge Ahead

South Africa enter with confidence despite their poor record in India. They’ve won 11 of their last 12 Tests and are riding high after claiming the World Test Championship earlier this year. However, their last two tours to India resulted in 3-0 whitewashes in both 2015 and 2019.​

Bavuma’s return strengthens South Africa’s batting lineup and brings crucial leadership experience. With the captain fit and the squad at full strength, the Proteas are as prepared as they can be for one of cricket’s toughest challenges—winning a Test series in India.​

Series Schedule

The first Test runs from November 14-18 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, starting at 9:30 AM IST. The second Test takes place at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati from November 22-26, marking the first-ever Test match in the northeastern city.​

Both teams will fine-tune their preparations over the next three days before the opening encounter. With South Africa at full strength and India fielding a young squad under Gill’s leadership, the series promises competitive cricket between the reigning World Test Champions and one of the format’s most dominant home teams.