After concluding a thrilling white ball series against Australia Down Under, the Indian men’s cricket team gears up for another mammoth challenge - a bilateral series against South Africa at home starting at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on November 14.

The long-awaited series will comprise of two Tests, three ODIs and five T20 Internationals, filled with gripping action between two dynamic teams of the cricketing world.

The return of Rishabh Pant

The biggest talking point heading into the series is the return of India’s star wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, to the Test squad.

The flamboyant southpaw, who serves as India’s Test vice-captain, is set to reunite with the whites after recovering from a toe injury that sidelined him during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Pant recently made his on-field comeback in style - leading the India A side against South Africa A in a two-match unofficial Test series and steering them to a win in the opener.

His presence behind the stumps and his fearless approach with the bat are expected to be central to India’s success this time around.

Known for his attacking mindset and ability to turn matches on their head, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper brings not just experience but an unshakable aura of confidence to the dressing room. His return adds both firepower and leadership to a young, evolving Indian side under Shubman Gill’s captaincy.

A clash of grit, glory and greatness

The stage is perfectly set — Eden Gardens and the echo of chants for the Men in Blue. India will look to build on their emphatic Test series whitewash over West Indies, with the likes of another Super Giants star, Akash Deep, joining the ranks after his stellar outing in England to strengthen the pace attack.

With both teams stacked with talent and momentum, the South Africa tour of India 2025 promises a riveting display of skill, resilience and drama.

Schedule overview

The red-ball battle begins in the City of Joy, Kolkata, before the second Test unfolds at Assam’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium on November 22.

From there, the spotlight shifts to a thrilling three-match ODI series, starting November 30 at Ranchi’s JSCA Cricket Stadium. The second ODI will light up Raipur on December 3, followed by the final at Visakhapatnam’s ACA–VDCA Stadium on December 6.

Once the 50-over battles conclude, it’s time for some electrifying T20I action. The five-match series kicks off in Cuttack on December 9, with the next two clashes scheduled in New Chandigarh (December 11) and Dharamsala (December 14).

The fourth T20I promises to be a special one for Lucknow Super Giants fans, as the action shifts to our home turf — the Ekana Cricket Stadium on December 17. The tour finale will take place at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19, 2025.

India vs South Africa 2025 schedule and live match start times

All times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Day and Date

Match

Venue

Time (IST)

Friday, November 14

1st Test

Eden Gardens, Kolkata

09:30 AM

Saturday, November 22

2nd Test

ACA Stadium, Guwahati

09:30 AM

Sunday, November 30

1st ODI

JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi

01:30 PM

Wednesday, December 03

2nd ODI

Nava Raipur International Cricket Stadium, Raipur

01:30 PM

Saturday, December 06

3rd ODI

ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

01:30 PM

Tuesday, December 09

1st T20I

Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

07:00 PM

Thursday, December 11

2nd T20I

New Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, New Chandigarh

07:00 PM

Sunday, December 14

3rd T20I

Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala

07:00 PM

Wednesday, December 17

4th T20I

Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

07:00 PM

Friday, December 19

5th T20I

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

07:00 PM

South Africa tour of India 2025 squads

India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain & wicket-keeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

South Africa’s Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton (wicket-keeper), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Zubayr Hamza, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada

Image courtesy: ESPNCricInfo