India vs South Africa 2nd Test at Guwahati: Rishabh Pant to Lead Team India After Shubman Gill Ruled Out
November 22, 2025 | Cricket & Test Series
By SRK
Cricket & Sports Correspondent
Focus: Indian cricket, Test matches, player injuries, team updates
Rishabh Pant to lead India in series-deciding 2nd Test after Shubman Gill's fitness test failure due to neck spasm.
India faces South Africa in a crucial 2nd Test at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati starting November 22, 2025, with Rishabh Pant taking over the captaincy from Shubman Gill, who has been ruled out due to a neck spasm sustained during the first Test. This will be the first-ever Test match at the newly constructed Guwahati stadium, adding historical significance to an already tense series-decider.
India lost the opening Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, making this match a must-win situation. Pant's appointment as temporary captain marks another chapter in the ongoing captaincy developments following Gill's selection in the first place.
India lost the opening Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, making this match a must-win situation. Pant's appointment as temporary captain marks another chapter in the ongoing captaincy developments following Gill's selection in the first place.
Match Details & Venue Information
🏟️ Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
- Capacity: 50,000+ spectators
- Test Cricket Status: First ever Test match at this venue
- Construction: Completed in 2022, ICC certified
- Surface: Red soil pitch (similar to Eden Gardens)
- Latitude/Longitude: Northeast India (Assam region)
- Climate: Cool conditions (November temperature ~22-25°C)
- Weather Forecast: 25% chance of rain, morning moisture
📋 Match Schedule
- Dates: November 22-26, 2025
- Day 1: November 22 (Saturday)
- Day 2: November 23 (Sunday)
- Day 3: November 24 (Monday)
- Day 4: November 25 (Tuesday)
- Day 5: November 26 (Wednesday)
- Toss Time: 09:30 AM IST
- Match Start: 10:00 AM IST
👥 Captaincy Change
- Original Captain: Shubman Gill (injured)
- Temporary Captain: Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper-batter)
- Injury Type: Neck spasm
- Fitness Test Result: Failed fitness test (November 21)
- Expected Return: Unclear; depends on medical clearance
- Pant Experience: First Test captaincy since injury recovery (2022-23)
Series Status: India Behind
1st Test Result (Eden Gardens, Kolkata)
SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 3 WICKETS
| Innings | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Innings | 221 | 207 |
| 2nd Innings | 153 | 168/7 |
| Total Runs | 374 | 375 |
Temba Bavuma's unbeaten 100+ in 2nd innings helped SA secure victory
Series Score
- South Africa: 1 (lead)
- India: 0
- Matches Remaining: 1 (this Test)
- Series Status: On the line - winner takes series
Expected India Playing XI
Probable 11 (Subject to Change)
| Player | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Opener | ✓ Playing |
| KL Rahul | Opener | ✓ Playing |
| Rohit Sharma | Middle Order (Vice-Captain) | ✓ Playing |
| Virat Kohli | Middle Order | ✓ Playing |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicket-Keeper & Captain | ✓ Captain |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Middle Order | ✓ Playing |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | All-Rounder (Spinner) | ✓ Playing |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-Rounder | ✓ Playing |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner | ✓ Playing |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Pace Bowler | ✓ Playing |
| Mohammed Siraj | Pace Bowler | ✓ Playing |
Pitch Report & Playing Conditions
- Pitch Type: Red soil (Indian subcontinental style)
- Surface Characteristics: Morning moisture, likely to assist spinners
- Batting Conditions: Challenging initially; better for batting later
- Bowling Assistance: Significant support for spinners after Day 2
- Pace Bowling: Initial swing movement; reduced by Day 3
- Expected Wear: Significant deterioration by Day 4
- Weather Impact: 25% rain chance - could affect play timing
- Toss Significance: Winning toss could be crucial for choosing to bat/bowl
Key Storylines
1. Pant's Leadership Test
Rishabh Pant returning to captaincy after injury comeback. How he handles pressure and motivates team in must-win situation.
2. India's Batting Frailty
India conceded 2nd innings lead in Kolkata. Can batsmen step up and post bigger total in Guwahati?
3. Ashwin's Form
Senior spinner's performance critical on turning pitch. How many wickets can Ashwin claim?
4. Bumrah's Workload
Jasprit Bumrah carrying heavy bowling workload. Can he maintain performance?
5. South Africa's Consistency
Temba Bavuma's leadership and tactical execution. Can they consolidate series advantage?
📝 For Competitive Exam Aspirants:
Key Facts to Remember:
- ✓ Match: India vs South Africa 2nd Test
- ✓ Date: November 22-26, 2025
- ✓ Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
- ✓ First Test: First-ever Test at this venue
- ✓ India Captain: Rishabh Pant (temporary)
- ✓ Shubman Gill: Ruled out (neck spasm)
- ✓ Series Status: South Africa leads 1-0
- ✓ 1st Test Winner: South Africa (3 wickets)
- ✓ Match Type: Series-deciding 2nd Test
- ✓ Temba Bavuma: South Africa captain (scored 100+ in Kolkata)
Cricket Terms for Exams:
- • Test Cricket: 5-day format, longest form of cricket
- • Freedom Trophy: Series name for India-South Africa Tests
- • Wicket-Keeper: Player who stands behind stumps to catch balls
- • Pitch Report: Analysis of ground conditions for batting/bowling
- • Toss: Coin flip to decide who bats first
- • Red Soil: Type of pitch found in Indian subcontinental cricket
Expected in Exams: UPSC Prelims/Mains (Sports section), SSC CGL, Railway NTPC, Banking IBPS, NDA/CDS, State PSC, Sports Authority exams
📚 Previous Year Questions (PYQs) Pattern:
- • UPSC Prelims 2023: Question on Test cricket format and duration (1 mark) - Similar to this topic
- • UPSC Prelims 2024: Question on India vs South Africa cricket series (1-2 marks) - Directly relevant
- • SSC CGL 2023: Current Affairs: Indian cricket team captain (1 mark)
- • SSC CGL 2024: Question on cricket stadiums in India (1-2 marks)
- • Railway NTPC 2023: Sports question on Indian cricket performance (1 mark)
- • NDA 2024: Question on cricket formats and tournaments (2 marks)
- • Banking IBPS PO 2024: Sports awareness on current cricket matches (1 mark)
💡 Exam Tip: Cricket questions appear regularly in current affairs sections. Focus on: captaincy changes, venue information, series status, player performances, and injury updates. India's Test performance always appears in prelims.
🎯 Expected Question Formats in Future Exams:
- • MCQ: "Who is the temporary captain of India in the 2nd Test against South Africa? (A) Rohit Sharma (B) Rishabh Pant (C) Shubman Gill (D) KL Rahul"
- • MCQ: "In which city is Barsapara Cricket Stadium located? (A) Kolkata (B) Delhi (C) Guwahati (D) Chennai"
- • Assertion-Reason: "Assertion: Shubman Gill was ruled out for the 2nd Test. Reason: He sustained a neck injury in the 1st Test."
- • Current Affairs: "Name the Indian cricketer who led India in the 2nd Test against South Africa at Guwahati (2 marks)"
— End of Report —
Sources:
- Indian Express Cricket, NDTV Sports, ESPNcricinfo, ICC Official, November 2025
- Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official releases
