This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test against India in Kolkata due to a rib injury, is in awe of his team's ability to rebound from setbacks.
Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
Simon Harmer led South Africa's lion-hearted bowling effort as the Proteas registered a thrilling 30-run victory against India inside three days of the low-scoring opening Test.
South Africa were dealt a major blow before the first ball was even bowled, with pace ace Kagiso Rabada ruled out of the opening Test against India due to a rib injury.
The two nurses, who tested positive for Nipah virus, have been admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital in Kolkata, a senior state health department official said, while describing their condition as extremely critical on Wednesday.
Team India skipper Shubman Gill is unlikely to feature in the second Test against South Africa, with Cricket Association of Bengal sources confirming that he is not travelling to Guwahati with the team on Wednesday.
Faf du Plessis believes real test for spinners Motie, Hosein will come against South Africa, India
India captain Shubman Gill was on Friday released from the Test squad ahead of the second match against South Africa starting Saturday.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has denied speculation that the Board has approached batting great V V S Laxman to take over as Team India's Test coach and replace Gautam Gambhir.
India captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir along with Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel arrived in Kolkata late on Sunday ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa.
Delhi blast: Heightened security in Kolkata ahead of India-South Africa Test
Captain Shubman Gill will travel with the Indian team to Guwahati for second Test against South Africa, starting on Saturday, but his participation is still not confirmed.
Spin great Harbhajan Singh said India don't have a specialist off-spinner for Test cricket.
Albie and Morne Morkel find themselves in rival dugouts as South Africa face India in the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash.
Jamshedpur FC and East Bengal secured victories in their respective Indian Super League matches, with Jamshedpur edging past Punjab FC and East Bengal defeating Sporting Club Delhi.
India have long curated home tracks that accentuate turn, but the assumption their own batters would master such conditions no longer appears safe following their defeat in the opening Test against South Africa.
Scotland, a late entry into the T20 World Cup, is set to face West Indies in their opening match. Scotland aims to prove their worth and cause upsets against higher-ranked teams, while West Indies look to leverage their experience and firepower.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated Chennaiyin FC 2-0 in an Indian Super League match, with goals from Jamie Maclaren and Dimitrios Petratos.
Jason, who also served as Pakistan's head coach in 2024 from April to December, was interacting with his followers on X handle.
The track is historically a high-scoring one and the outfield is quick. But on a red soil surface, the ball grips and can surprise the batters.
Shubman Gill, who has not trained due to a neck spasm sustained during the first Test against South Africa, will undergo a fitness test on Friday.
Shubman Gill had suffered a neck injury on the second day of the first Test in Kolkata and had to be hospitalised for a couple days.
The Lancet study revealed that the HbA1c test is erroneous in populations with anemia and other hemoglobin-related deficiencies in India.
'You don't come to a country to win a Test match, you obviously want to win the series.
Jammu and Kashmir's head coach Ajay Sharma attributes their historic Ranji Trophy final entry to teamwork and a 'Sholay'-like spirit, highlighting the team's self-belief and the emergence of fast-bowling talent like Auqib Nabi.
Though Shubman Gill travelled with the Indian team to Guwahati on Wednesday, his injury is unlikely to heal in time ahead of the second Test, which begins on Saturday.
Stand-in captain Harry Manenti expressed frustration over Italy's lack of regular cricket opportunities after their T20 World Cup debut, highlighting the risk of stalled progress for Associate nations.
Shubman Gill might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
Shimron Hetmyer's brilliant counter-attack with the bat and Romario Shepherd's hat-trick powered West Indies to an emphatic 35-run victory against Scotland.
Lungi Ngidi's call-up indicates that Kagiso Rabada, who missed the team's memorable win in Kolkata due to a rib injury, is still uncertain for the Guwahati Test
India and Pakistan clash in a highly anticipated T20 World Cup match. India needs middle-order stability and a fit Abhishek Sharma, while Pakistan's spin attack poses a threat. The weather forecast predicts a high chance of rain.
Kuldeep Yadav has acknowledged that playing all three formats "is a luxury" but an attacking mindset has kept him relevant in the face of stiff competition.
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of the second Test against India
The South Africa bowling coach is also hopeful of off-spinner Simon Harmer, one of the heroes of the the visitors' memorable win in the first Test at Eden Gardens, playing in the final game of the short series while also ruling out any issue with his fitness.
India will look to reprise their home template of big first-innings totals and sustained spin in the short two-Test series against South Africa beginning in Kolkata on Friday.
'We would like to believe and back ourselves to know these conditions or adapt to these conditions a lot faster even if we find them slightly different, as compared to, say, somebody who is brought up in Johannesburg and has played all his cricket at the Wanderers ground.'
India can draw inspiration from their stunning comeback in the 2016 Chennai Test against England when they triumphed despite conceding 400-plus in the first innings.
The second and final Test starts in Guwahati from Saturday with India trailing 0-1 after the defeat on a challenging Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata.
'On your birthday, Abba, I wanted to stand where the game remembers you. Eden Gardens may be empty today, but it is never silent for you.'
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