IND vs SA: 5 South Africa Players Who Could Pose Threat to India in the Test Series

South Africa arrives in India for a two-match Test series, with several in-form players whose recent performances and skills could trouble India’s batting and bowling, making the contests highly competitive and unpredictable.

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South Africa Players to Keep Eye on in India Test Series

Team India and South Africa will lock horns in the upcoming two-match Test series, with the opening match taking place at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on November 14. South Africa are touring India for the eighth time for the Test series, and their last visit was in 2019.

India and South Africa have been involved in competitive Test contests over the years, with both teams sharing wins and draws, making this series highly anticipated by fans and experts alike. The Proteas have touched down in India, intending to clinch the first Test series win on Indian soil since 2000. India and South Africa players are currently the second and final unofficial Test in Bengaluru.

As Team India is set to face off the reigning WTC champions, let’s take a look at five South Africa players who could pose a threat to the hosts of the Test series.

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1. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is expected to lead South Africa’s pace attack in the upcoming Test series against Team India. Rababa will be returning to action after the Test series in Pakistan, where he picked four wickets across two matches and scored 71 off 61 balls in the first innings of the Rawalpindi Test, helping the Proteas take a 71-run first innings lead and changing the tone of the match. Rabada is expected to return to action fresh after a brief break from the cricketing action.

Rabada is likely to pose a threat to India’s batting line given his ability to swing the ball in both ways and generate steep pace and bounce, making him a constant wicket-taking threat. The 30-year-old has a good record against India in Tests, scalping 55 wickets, including a fifer, at an average of 22.60 and an economy rate of 3.01, making him one of the dangerous pacers for India to face. The Indian openers might be well aware of his threat and will negotiate the new ball to avoid Rababa making early inroads.

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2. Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram has shown significant improvement in his batting performance in Tests since 2024. Since 2024, the 31-year-old has aggregated 800 runs, including two centuries and three fifties, at an average of 36.36 in 12 matches. Markram had a decent outing in the two-match Test series against Pakistan, scoring 97 at an average of 24.25 in two games.

However, Aiden Markram’s ability to anchor the innings and rotate the strike efficiently makes him a key threat in building partnerships and frustrating the Indian bowlers. The all-rounder has a moderate Test record against India, aggregating 373 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 19.63 in 10 matches, showing he has had some struggles, but his experience and temperament can still challenge India’s bowling attack, particularly in stabilizing the innings at the top order.

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3. Keshav Maharaj

Another South African player who could challenge Team India is the spinner Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj is expected to lead South Africa spin attack alongside Senuran Muthusamy. Since 2024, the 34-year-old has picked 27 wickets, including two fifers, at an average of 22.74 and an economy rate of 2.88 in five matches. In the Pakistan Test series, Keshav picked nine wickets, including a seven-wicket haul, 15.11 in 1 match.

Keshav Maharaj’s spin bowling, which has accuracy, subtle variations, and the ability to extract turn, irrespective of the pitch conditions, could pose a serious threat to India’s middle and lower order batters. Maharaj does not have an ideal Test record against India, picking 8 wickets at an average of 94.75 and an economy rate of 3.88 in 8 matches. However, despite his modest record against India, Maharaj’s recent form and the ability to exploit helpful conditions make him a bowler India cannot underestimate in the upcoming Test series.

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4. Ryan Rickelton

South Africa batter Ryan Rickelton is expected to pose a serious threat to India’s bowling attack. Rickelton was part of the Test series against Pakistan, where he scored 155 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 51.67 in two matches. Since 2024, Rickelton has aggregated 628 runs, including a double century, a century, and a fifty, at an average of 48.30 in nine Tests.

Ryan Rickelton will face India for the first time in Test cricket, and his recent form, including a massive double century against Pakistan at Cape Town, means India’s bowlers can’t afford to underestimate him. Moreover, the 29-year-old’s experience of playing in IPL for the Mumbai Indians this year, wherein he amassed 388 runs, including 3 fifties, at an average of 29.84 in 14 matches, adds to his threat. Therefore, the Indian bowling attack needs to be carefully planned against in the upcoming Test series.

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5. Senuran Muthusamy

Senuran Muthusamy could emerge as a potential threat to India's batting line-up in the upcoming Test series. In the Pakistan Test series, Muthuswamy picked 11 wickets, including two fifers, at an average of 18.36 in two matches. This year, the 31-year-old has picked 15 wickets at an average of 22.53 and an economy rate of 3.77 in 3 matches.

Senuran Muthusamy’s ability to exploit favourable conditions and deliver match‑winning spells makes him a bowler India’s middle and lower order should be wary of. Having experience of playing in Indian conditions during the South Africa A tour and the 2019 Test series, Seruran knows how to use the pitch to his advantage, making him a tricky bowler for India’s batters to face.