IND vs SA: Reverse swing likely to be on cards! Inside details of Eden Gardens pitch leaked ahead of first test

The first IND vs SA test begins in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens from November 14.

India and South Africa will clash in the first of the two-match test series from November 14 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India are coming off a 2-0 test series win over the West Indies, and South Africa managed to level their test series 1-1 against Pakistan.

And as per multiple reports, the two sides might play on a pace-friendly surface at the Eden Gardens, with reverse swing coming into play later in the game.

Eden Gardens last hosted a test six years ago, between India and Bangladesh, the first day-night test in India. And for their first test in six years, the surface in Kolkata will have good bounce but is expected to start slowing down by the halfway mark.

Following India’s 3-0 home loss over New Zealand last year, the country will be wary of preparing rank turners against South Africa in Kolkata and Guwahati.

According to a report, the grass cover is predicted to be just a few millimetres by the time the contest starts four days before the test. It is known that the surface at Eden Gardens won’t be as submissive as the one at Arun Jaitley Stadium, where India triumphed by seven wickets on the fifth day against the West Indies.

Cooler temperatures to help pacers during the IND vs SA Kolkata test

The first game of the two-match series between India and the West Indies was played in Ahmedabad on one of India’s greenest strips in recent memory, including four millimetres of live grass on a red-soil field with good bounce. The West Indies suffered a crushing innings defeat, lasting 44.1 and 45.1 overs in their two innings, and the game ended in three days.

It is anticipated that the Eden Gardens surface will quickly get rougher, allowing the fast bowlers to use reverse swing. Another positive statistic for the quick bowlers is that over the past 15 years, Kolkata has had the greatest wicket percentage (61%) with 97 wickets in six red-ball test matches.

The lower temperatures in the first hour of the morning and the last hour of the evening, which may facilitate lateral movement, are another element that is likely to be advantageous to seamers.

South Africa’s test series against Pakistan was played on rank-turners that saw the visiting team spinners Senuran Muthusamy, who won the Player of the Series; Keshav Maharaj, who was the Player of the Match in the Rawalpindi test; and Simon Harmer excel before arriving in India.

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