India v South Africa first Test tips: Jadeja man of the match bet makes sense

• India welcome back Pant

• In-form Jurel retains place
• South Africa choc-full of RHB

• Pitch may take spin in third and fourth

• Jadeja and De Zorzi to go well

India v South Africa
Friday 14 November, 04.00
TV: Live on TNT

India v South Africa First Test team news

India will welcome back Rishabh Pant after he recovered from the fractured foot suffered in the last Test of the summer against England. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has had back issues but is fit, is the one to make way.

Dhruv Jurel looked the most likely candidate but he is expected to play as a batter. He hit two centuries against South Africa A last week.

As ever, the debate will centre on how many spin bowlers to use. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate reckons South Africa will be play three and that gives a clue that the hosts will do the same. Ravi Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are shoo-ins one would have thought. Axar Patel will also spin the ball away from South Africa's left-handers. Washington Sundar spinning it in may mean they want that variation.

Possible India XI: Jaiswal, Rahul, Sai, Gill, Jurel, Pant, Jadeja, Sundar/Axar, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Siraj

South Africa earned a creditable 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month, coming from behind to level the series which was dominated by spin bowlers. Keshav Maharaj was man of the match in the second Test and he should be joined in the line-up by Senuran Muthusamy, who had a superb all-round show, and Simon Harmer. 

The visitors will need to find room for returning skip Temba Bavuma. Dewald Brevis could be the fall guy. Despite a fifty in the first Test in Pakistan he also recorded two ducks. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen are likely to be the only pacers with Jansen's batting skill important. 

Possible South Africa XI: Markram, Rickleton, Stubbs, De Zorzi, Bavuma, Muthusamy, Jansen, Maharaj, Rabada, Harmer

India v South Africa First Test pitch report

The early indications from the Eden Gardens pitch report is one of straw colour which should be flat early on and then take turn for the third- and fourth-innings. A classic subcontinental surface in other words.

It's welcome news as there have been only three Tests played there in the last ten years (2016-2019). The last saw a hopeless Bangladesh rolled, however, by pace. Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav did the damage.

South Africa will be cheered if conditions are more even than what they saw in Pakistan. The raging turners produced for that series are unlikely to be replicated. The mantra remains the same though: bat first and bat well.

India are averaging 33 runs per wicket in the last two years at home in the first innings. Exchange par lines are likely to be in advance of that. South Africa's number, filtered to their four Tests in Asia since 2024, is very healthy at 37. Their par line may well be around 290.

India v South Africa First Test match prediction

India are 1.351/3 with South Africa 5.204/1 and the draw at 14.013/1. Those are the suite of prices one would expect, although there may be some disappointment that the visitors aren't a little bigger.

Certainly their price is the only one to be considered attractive. We're angling for ways to get involved with the visitors and the first caveat is that they absolutely must bat first. They showed in Pakistan that they can drop anchor and do the hard work.

Otherwise their price should drift pretty quickly. The big worry for South Africa is all those right-handers against the ball spinning away. It was what cost them against Pakistan in the first Test when they were razed by Noman Ali. 

If South Africa go well there is a bit of room in their price for a trade. But in truth if they do manage to look like they're going to post upwards of 400, the draw is the big mover. South Africa runs first up will spook the market price and it could come in sharply. 

India v South Africa First Test player bets

Noman caused consternation for the South Africa right-handers and he won the man of the match award. Ravi Jadeja, then, has to be considered as an option for the gong. Jadeja is the same style of spinner and offers the opportunity for crucial runs. Sportsbook offer 8/19.00 and he is a fair favourite. 

Finding a winner for top India bat may be tricky if this is a flat one. Milestone and individual runs bets take others out of the equation. KL Rahul, such a reliable performer, is 7/42.75 for a first-innings 50. We also like the look of Rahul and Shubman Gill to both reach 30 at 13/82.63.

For South Africa, Tony de Zorzi had a tremendous series against the spinners in South Africa. He scored a century and a fifty in the first digs. As a leftie he countered the spin threat well. He could stand alone here but the 7/24.50 for another 50 may be the best option.

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