DAY 1: South Africa 105-3 at lunch v India in first test

Jasprit Bumrah claimed two quick wickets to stall South Africa after a strong start as the tourists reached lunch on 105-3 after choosing to bat first on the first morning of the first test against India at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday.

Aiden Markram bore the brunt of Bumrah’s excellent opening spell (7-4-9-2) and required 23 balls to get off the mark which he did with a sumptuous cover drive against Mohammad Siraj followed immediately by another boundary driven straight down the ground.

Ryan Rickelton, meanwhile, was enjoying himself against Siraj whose opening three overs (3-0-25-0) were in stark contrast to Bumrah with width and half volleys on offer.

Bumrah ended an opening stand of 57 with a beauty which straightened from around the wicket to hit Rickelton’s off stump on 23 from just 22 balls with four fours and produced another virtually unplayable delivery to have Markram caught behind by ‘keeper Rishabh Pant.

Lunch on Day 1.

2⃣ wickets for Jasprit Bumrah and 1⃣ wicket for Kuldeep Yadav in an entertaining first session of the series 👌

We will be back soon with the 2nd session 👍

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/okTBo3qxVH#TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/G0rMk1w0dz — BCCI (@BCCI) November 14, 2025

Markram had driven five fours through the off side and clipped left arm spinner Axar Patel for six over midwicket but had no answer to Bumrah’s delivery, which bounced steeply and nipped away to find the edge to end his innings on 31 from 48 balls.

Captain Temba Bavuma (3) was also blameless with a tremendous googly from left arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (7-0-24-1) fizzing of the inside edge of his defensive bat and into the hands of Dhruv Jurel well positioned at backward short leg.

Wiaan Mulder played a couple of reverse sweeps to the boundary in his 22* while Tony de Zorzi used to his feet against Kuldeep for a straight driven six to reach 15* at the break but, despite South Africa’s impressive scoring rate the home side will be better pleased with three wickets in the first session after the tourists had chosen to bat first.

South Africa’s pace spearhead, Kagiso Rabada, was ruled out of the match with a rib injury incurred during training before the match and was replaced by Corbin Bosch in the starting XI.

It’s Lunch on Day 1. 🍛#TheProteas Men head into the break on 105/3 after 27 overs. 🇿🇦

A session that has ebbed and flowed at Eden Gardens, setting an intriguing tone for this first test of the series. 🏏 pic.twitter.com/a5OeT6nBvk — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 14, 2025

Allrounder Mulder retained his place at No 3 and fast bowling allrounder Marco Jansen was preferred to the third spinner, Senuran Muthusamy giving the tourists three seamers and two spinners.

India, however, have opted for four specialist spinners and just two seamers with offspinner Washington Sundar selected to bat at No 3 and left armers Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja at six and seven to complement Kuldeep.

INDIA: Yashasvi Jaiswl, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wkt), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj.

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj.