Not handing the ball to lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah to start the third day's play on a challenging Eden Gardens surface was "questionable", said the legendary Anil Kumble.
With Bumrah leading the charge, India prised out five wickets in the second session to snuff out South Africa's hopes of reaching the 200 mark.
With the scars of last year's home series whitewash against New Zealand still raw, preparing rank turners may invite risk.
South Africa sharpen spin game in attacking net session ahead of Eden Test
The Pakistan Cricket Board in a bid to attract more crowds to the Test match have for the first time announced free entry for several enclosures.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul perished early as India fumbled in the chase of a mammoth 549-run target on Day 4 of the second Test.
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
A South African side missing several regulars will resume on 49 for one on the third morning after Zimbabwe made 251 in reply to the tourists' first-innings score of 418 for nine declared.
India's awe-inspiring batting depth will face a stern test against South Africa's quality spin attack in the first Test, starting in Kolkata on Friday.
Hard-hitting left-handed batter David Miller also returns to the T20 squad, as does Donovan Ferreira.
England's right-handed batter Harry Brook has replaced his teammate Joe Root to reclaim the No. 1 Test batter's position in the world
South Africa will be without striker-bowler Kagiso Rabada for Tuesday's opening One Day International against England at Headingley, captain Temba Bavuma revealed ahead of the clash.
Jadeja reduces South Africa to 93/7 in second innings, India smell big win
Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads for the Pakistan tour.
Rabada spent a month on the sidelines at the Indian Premier League after testing positive for a recreational drug at this year's SA20 competition.
Shubman Gill was inspirational both as a batter and skipper, as he led from the front with four hundreds amassing 754 runs in the five-match Test series in England.
S Africa select young guns Brevis, Pretorius for Australia tour
Keshav Maharaj on Sunday became the first spinner from South Africa to take 200 Test wickets
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe that starts in Bulawayo on June 28 after he failed to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in the World Test Championship final win over Australia at Lord's.
Drugs ban gives Rabada extra motivation for WTC final, says the Proteas captain
WTC-bound SA players to miss play-offs after BCCI asks teams to release them by May 26
Limping Bavuma, Markram lead South Africa to brink of history.
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
Bavuma said his hamstring was 'feeling good' ahead of his return, and the South African skipper also confirmed he would bat at number three for the opening match of the three-game series behind openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.
Top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen will lead South Africa during next month's Twenty20 tri-series with New Zealand and hosts Zimbabwe, with four uncapped players in the squad, Cricket South Africa said on Thursday.
Shubman Gill dominated with the bat in England, as he amassed a huge tally of 567 runs at an average of 94.50 in the three Tests played in July.
Ashwell Prince, South Africa's batting coach, labelled Aiden Markram as the "man for the big occasion" after the opener steered the Proteas towards what could be a famous run-chase in the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia on Friday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday
DC's brilliant fielding turned the game in their favour, proving once again that catches win matches.
Pat Cummins tore through South Africa before a Proteas fightback left the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 on a knife-edge at the end of an absorbing second day at Lord's.
Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored 153 on debut and Corbin Bosch an unbeaten maiden century as a much-changed South Africa reached 418 for nine on the opening day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Saturday.
'Life moves on' Rabada looks ahead to World Test Championship final after drug ban
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy second Semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday
South Africa crushed England by seven wickets in their final group match to storm into the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy.
South Africa's dream start to the World Test Championship final quickly turned into a nightmare at Lord's, as their batters failed to back up Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket masterclass.
Six uncapped players named in South Africa ODI squad
England captain Ben Stokes said fast bowler Jofra Archer is 100 percent ready to play his first Test since February 2021.
Australia will have to dust off the cobwebs but are still fancied to successfully defend their World Test Championship crown against equally ring-rusty South Africa in the final at Lord's.
Durban's Super Giants ended their SA20 campaign on a positive note, scoring a thrilling 11-run DLS victory over Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers on Saturday.
