South Africa is 105-3 at lunch on the 1st day of the 1st cricket test against India

By Canadian Press on November 13, 2025.

KOLKATA, India (AP) — Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets for nine runs as India fought back in the morning session Friday on the first day of the first cricket test against South Africa at Eden Gardens.

After winning the toss, South Africa set a hectic scoring pace in the first hour of play, reaching 57-0, before finishing the first session at 105-3 in 27 overs.

At the break, Wiaan Mulder was unbeaten on 22 while Tony de Zorzi was batting on 15 not out.

Earlier, India captain Shubman Gill lost his seventh toss in eight tests as South Africa opted to bat.

Openers Aiden Markram scored 31 runs and Ryan Rickelton 23 to give South Africa the early advantage.

But South Africa slipped from its unbeaten 57 to 71-3 in 5.3 overs, before Mulder and de Zorzi batted on for the remainder of the session. They added 34 off 66 balls for the fourth wicket.

Pacer Kagiso Rabada missed out for World Test Championship winner South Africa because of a rib injury, replaced by medium pace all-rounder Corbin Bosch. The Proteas opted for two spinners in Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj.

South Africa has not won a test in India since 2015. It last won a test series in India in 2000-01 under Hansie Cronje.

Kolkata is hosting its first test since 2019, when India and Bangladesh played a day-night test.

The second test will be played from Nov. 22 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium, which hosted multiple games in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup but will become a men’s test venue for the first time.

Recently, India beat West Indies 2-0, with left-arm wrist spinner Yadav the leading bowler with 12 wickets. South Africa drew a two-test series in Pakistan 1-1.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

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