3 player battles to watch out for in IND vs SA 2025 Test series ft. Rishabh Pant

India are set to host South Africa for a two-match Test series. The opening contest kicks off at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on November 14. The second and final Test will be played at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, beginning November 22.

The Shubman Gill-led side have played two series so far in the ongoing World Test Championship (2025-27) cycle. Their campaign commenced with a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England.

They completed a 2-0 clean sweep against West Indies earlier last month, beginning their home season on a dominant note. The hosts will look to continue the impressive run when they take on the defending champions South Africa.

The Proteas are coming into the series following a two-match Test series in Pakistan. They suffered a 93-run defeat in the first fixture, but bounced back to draw the series with an eight-wicket victory in the second game.

Notably, skipper Temba Bavuma returned to South Africa's squad following an injury break. He missed the Pakistan series, and opener Aiden Markram led the side in his absence.

For the home team, the series marks the comeback of vice-captain Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batter had been on the sidelines since suffering a foot injury in the fourth Test of the England tour in July.

South Africa will have a point to prove as they are yet to win a Test series on Indian soil since their 2-0 whitewash in 1999. Overall, the two teams have competed against each other 44 times in the format. South Africa have 18 wins to their name, whereas India have 14.

On that note, let's take a look at three player battles to watch out for in the Test series.

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#1 KL Rahul (India) vs Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

Opener KL Rahul has done a commendable job in Test cricket in the recent past. The right-handed batter was the third-highest run-scorer in the England Test series, amassing 532 runs across 10 innings.

He looked in good touch in the home series against the Caribbean side as well, finishing with 196 runs from three innings. The senior player's mini-battle with South Africa's ace pacer Kagiso Rabada will be an interesting one.

The two proven performers going up against each other, especially with the new ball, promises to be an entertaining affair. Meanwhile, Rabada bagged four wickets across as many innings in the Pakistan tour.

The visitors would count on the seasoned campaigner to provide early breakthroughs. However, he has succeeded in dismissing Rahul just once in 11 Test innings.

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#2 Tony de Zorzi (South Africa) vs Kuldeep Yadav (India)

Tony de Zorzi appeared to be in brilliant form in the two-match Test series against Pakistan. The southpaw was the highest run-scorer of the series, chalking up 175 runs from four innings.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav could pose a big challenge for Zorzi. The 30-year-old is expected to get a lot of assistance from these pitches. He was the standout bowler against West Indies, bagging 12 wickets from four innings.

It is worth noting that all three of Zorzi's dismissals in the Pakistan Test series came against left-arm bowlers.

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#3 Rishabh Pant (India) vs Simon Harmer (South Africa)

All eyes will be on Rishabh Pant as he makes his much-awaited return to international cricket. The swashbuckling batter captained India A in the recently concluded two-match unofficial Test series against South Africa A.

Pant played a stunning 90-run knock from 113 deliveries in the first fixture. He hit a half-century in the subsequent match as well, scoring 65 runs off 54 balls in the second innings.

Simon Harmer could be South Africa's best bet against Pant. The off-spinner was his team's leading wicket-taker in the Pakistan series, claiming 13 wickets from four innings.

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Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai