India bank on formidable home Test record in South Africa series

Kolkata: Shubman Gill's India will look to extend their Test domination at home when a two-match series begins against world champions South Africa on Friday in Kolkata.

India's recent 2-0 sweep of West Indies took them past South Africa to be the third-most successful team at home in Test cricket.

They have 122 wins in the five-day format in India, behind only Australia, who have 262 home wins and England who have 241.

India's excellent home run suffered a setback last year when New Zealand achieved a rare 3-0 Test sweep on Indian soil.

The hosts bounced back in style against the West Indies last month with a 2-0 victory in Gill's first home assignment as Test captain.

That followed a 2-2 draw in the five-Test series in England, Gill's first in charge.

South Africa beat Australia to win the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's in June and recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan. 

They will be no pushovers under captain Temba Bavuma despite many of their players making their debuts in India.

South African head coach Shukri Conrad said having quality spinners, including Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer, gave the team a boost.

"Yes, I think it gives us a lot of confidence," Conrad told reporters at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

"Not saying that we didn't have good spinners in the past, but we certainly think we've got a better pack of spinners now in Keshav, Simon and Sen.

"We are quietly confident that we can make history of our own here at Eden Gardens and in India," he said.

Gill, 26, has led from the front after the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin.

He scored 754 runs against England and an unbeaten 129 to set up victory in the second Test against the West Indies. 

Gill has hinted he would like pitches prepared that provide a balance between bat and ball, rather than the sharply spinning surfaces that have been prevalent in the past.

The pitch at Kolkata's famous stadium is expected to aid reverse swing but become slower as the match progresses.

India have been boosted by the return of livewire wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who recently led India A against South Africa A in two four-day matches.

Pant, a flamboyant left-handed batsman and chattering presence behind the stumps, missed the West Indies series while he recovered from a foot fracture.

India's back-up wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel hit twin centuries in the second match against South Africa A and is almost certain to play as a batter.

"I don't think you can leave him (Jurel) out for this Test is the short answer," India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said. 

"But obviously, you can only pick 11 as well. So someone else will have to miss out. I think we've got a pretty good idea of the combination."

The visitors will feature several players, including Bavuma, who warmed up for the series by playing for South Africa A last week when they beat India A by five wickets.

Bavuma, who has captained South Africa in 10 Tests -- winning nine and drawing one -- missed the tour of Pakistan, where Aiden Markram stood in as captain.

Eight of South Africa's squad have never played a Test in India.

Bavuma, opening batsman Markram and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada have the most experience of Indian conditions. 

Batsman Zubayr Hamza and left-arm spinner Muthusamy were on the 2019 tour and Harmer played in 2015.

South Africa have a poor recent record in India, having lost their previous two series 3-0. Their last series win came under Hansie Cronje in 2000.

The second Test is in Guwahati from November 22 and will be followed by three one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches.