Kolkata often feels like a city caught in a beautiful time warp — a place where nostalgia breathes through every tram line and colonial street. It’s a city that seems to have hit pause somewhere in the 90s and never quite pressed play again. Even today, trams rattle through its narrow lanes, carrying with them echoes of a bygone era. It’s this unique blend of resistance and romance that defines the spirit of Kolkata — a city that clings to its traditions with poetic stubbornness.

It’s in this setting that the Indian cricket team gears up for its first big Test of the season at Eden Gardens, a venue that mirrors the city’s paradox — steeped in history yet full of surprises. India, traditionally known for producing spin-friendly tracks, may once again challenge that perception. While turn will surely play a role, the early morning sessions could belong to the pacers, with the wicket expected to offer movement and bounce.

That, after all, is Eden’s quiet legacy — ask Suranga Lakmal from 2017 or Matt Henry from 2016, or even Bengal’s very own Mohammed Shami, who recently bagged 15 wickets in four Ranji innings here. For South Africa, the formula is familiar: pace leading the charge. Their two Test wins in India since 2001 both came on the back of Dale Steyn’s brilliance, and Kagiso Rabada will be keen to emulate that success.

ALSO READ: Temba Bavuma Showers Praise On Dhruv Jurel, Calls Him A “Fantastic Batter”

Still, skipper Temba Bavuma might not shy away from deploying his trio of spinners — Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, and Simon Harmer — should the pitch evolve later in the game. Eden Gardens last hosted a red-ball Test in 2017, followed by the pink-ball game against Bangladesh in 2019. Now, as India chase a third WTC final and South Africa look to build on their recent success, Kolkata’s vintage charm awaits another modern classic.

India

India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate praised Dhruv Jurel, calling him “unstoppable” in current form, even as Rishabh Pant returns to the playing XI. This decision has pushed India’s seam-bowling all-rounder experiment aside, with Nitish Reddy released from the Test squad to join India A for the unofficial ODIs till November 19.

Probable XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah

South Africa

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, back after missing the Pakistan tour, is weighing his spin options for the first Test. With conditions in Kolkata expected to favour turn, he remains undecided between three spinners or two pacers, planning a final call after Thursday’s training session.

Probable XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada