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India
South Africa
Guwahati will host its first-ever Test match, and this will add extra pressure on India as they look to level the two-match series. South Africa will start with confidence after winning the opening Test by 30 runs, which was their first Test win in India since 2010.
The Proteas now lead the series 1-0 and will take the field knowing that even a draw will be enough to secure their first Test series win in India since 2000.
India will enter this match after losing 4 of their last 8 Tests under Gautam Gambhir, which shows a clear dip compared to their home record between 2011 and 2023.
South Africa will enter this Test with Temba Bavumaβs unbeaten run as captain still intact. He has led in 11 matches with 10 wins and 1 draw. In the last 5 head-to-head Tests, South Africa have won 4 matches and India have won 1 match.
With in-form batters like Jaiswal, Rahul, Markram, and Bavuma expected to get more favourable conditions in Guwahati, at least one of them will likely score a hundred.
The betting tip is...
1st Innings - Any Player to Score 100
66 %
34 %
IndiaSouth AfricaShubman Gill will return to the squad after being discharged from the hospital following a neck spasm, but his availability is uncertain. If he misses out, Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal will slot into the middle order. India used 6 left-hand batters in Kolkata for the first time, and that number could rise to 7 lefties in this Test.
KL Rahulβs 39 was Indiaβs highest score from the first Test, while Washington Sundar will retain his place after steady knocks of 29 and 31 at No. 3. India will expect Jaiswal and Rahul to provide stability at the top.
Jaiswal will enter this Test with 1033 runs in his last 25 innings at 43.03, while Rahul will arrive with 1044 runs at 45.39. Bumrah took a 5-fer in the first innings of the first Test. Siraj, Jadeja, Kuldeep and Axar will be the other bowlers.
Jaiswal, Rahul and Sundar are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan/Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Rabada is likely to return in place of Corbin Bosch to join Jansen in the pace unit. Temba Bavuma will enter this Test after top-scoring in Kolkata with an unbeaten 55*, the only score higher than KL Rahulβs 39 in the match.
Wiaan Mulder will continue to play a flexible role after batting at No. 3. Tristan Stubbs will remain ahead of Dewald Brevis after featuring in the first Test.
Aiden Markram will carry scores of 31 and 4 into Guwahati, along with the key wicket of Washington Sundar that shifted the Kolkata Test. Simon Harmer will remain the main threat after producing match figures of 8/51 in his first Test in nearly seven years, the second-best by a South African in India. Maharaj will support him in the spin attack.
Markram, Bavuma and Stubbs are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
This Test will be unlike the low-scoring Test match in Kolkata. The pitch in Guwahati will offer better bounce and value for shots, and both teams will look to post strong first-innings totals.
India will rely on Jaiswal and Rahul, who have shown consistent form at the top. South Africa will expect Bavuma and Markram to continue their disciplined approach after key contributions in Kolkata.
The venue has a strong history of big knocks, with 5 ODI and 3 T20I hundreds already recorded, including 4 centuries by Indian batters. With improved batting conditions and multiple in-form players on both sides, this match is likely to see at least one long innings from a top-order batter from either side.
