India vs. South Africa, 1st Test: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

India and South Africa begin their much-anticipated four-match Test series in Mohali on Thursday. South Africa have not lost a series away from home since 2006, but they have also never beaten India in a series in that time period.

Date: Thursday Nov. 5 - Monday Nov. 9

Start time: 9:30 am local time/ 4:00 a.m GMT

Venue: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh, India

Live stream and TV info: Star Sports (India and Bangladesh), SuperSport (South Africa), PTV Sports (Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates)

Weather: AccuWeather.com predicts a few thundershowers on Day 1, which could lead to a delayed start. After that, the weather is all clear and there shouldn't be any more interruptions throughout the five days.

Overview 

After playing very little Test cricket in 2015, South Africa suddenly find themselves on the brink of playing two back-to-back Test series of four Tests each. The first begins in Mohali on Thursday and the Proteas have plenty of reason to be confident heading into it.

Since the 1996-97 season, South Africa have won more Tests in India than any other team touring here. Both their batsmen and bowlers have the best figures of any team touring the country and their seamers have found success on pitches that are usually more favourable for the spinners.

South Africa are currently ranked No. 1 in the world and, if the ICC Test rankings predictor is to be believed, will remain there even if they lose the series against India 4-0 and second-ranked Australia beat New Zealand 3-0 in their Test series.

But South Africa are not a team of half-measures and safety nets. In the last five years or so, they have bred a culture of competitive cricket that has seen them dig themselves out of holes other teams would have disappeared into. The core group of senior players have been here before, but they have not won a series here previously. For that senior group, this is the final frontier to conquer before they call it a day.

The Proteas have a few selection dilemmas heading into the Test. They are sweating over the fitness of Morne Morkel and JP Duminy and have to pick from a pool of three spinners—Imran Tahir, Simon Harmer and Dane Piedt.

The fitness of the aforementioned is likely to impact the balance, but the front lines are likely to be manned by familiar faces, marshaled by captain Hashim Amla.

If the weather plays along, we are in for a thrilling five days.

Key players

India

As captain, Virat Kohli has a tough task ahead of him, but he has found some steady form with the bat and now has the chance to express himself on home soil.

South Africa

AB de Villiers has found some cracking form in the one-day series, hitting three hundreds in five games. If he can transfer that form into the Test series, he'll help South Africa gain a significant advantage.

Squads

India: Ravindra Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Varun Aaron,Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin,Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav

 

South Africa: Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Jean-Paul Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Simon Harmer, Dane Piedt, Dane Vilas, Vernon Philander, Stiaan van Zyl