"Spinners usually decide outcome in India": Shubman Gill ahead of Kolkata Test against South Africa
"I think the wicket is more or less finalised, but when we arrived yesterday, it looked a bit different. Today, it seems slightly changed again. So, once we come tomorrow and see how the surface looks, we'll decide accordingly. In this part of India, the light tends to fade a little early, so that's something we have to keep in mind. Generally, fast bowlers get a bit of help in the morning and evening sessions. Overall, whenever we play in India, the spinners usually decide the outcome of the game. The better the quality of your spin attack, the higher your chances of winning," Gill said in the pre-match press conference.
ANI
Nov 13, 2025 16:06 IST
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 13 (ANI): India Test captain Shubman Gill noted that the "chances of winning" in India are directly proportional to the "better quality" of spin attack. The first test between India and South Africa will start from Friday onwards at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The second test will take place at ACA Stadium in Guwahati. In the white-ball leg, the Proteas will also play three ODIs and five T20Is, starting from November 30.
"I think the wicket is more or less finalised, but when we arrived yesterday, it looked a bit different. Today, it seems slightly changed again. So, once we come tomorrow and see how the surface looks, we'll decide accordingly. In this part of India, the light tends to fade a little early, so that's something we have to keep in mind. Generally, fast bowlers get a bit of help in the morning and evening sessions. Overall, whenever we play in India, the spinners usually decide the outcome of the game. The better the quality of your spin attack, the higher your chances of winning," Gill said in the pre-match press conference.
Further, Gill expressed his delight at leading the side at Eden Gardens, calling it a special venue filled with personal memories from the early days of his career
"I cherish a lot of memories here. My IPL career started at this ground, and every time I come here, it feels special. It reminds me of how I used to feel during training at the PCA Stadium in Punjab -- a very similar sense of comfort and connection. We're playing a match here after six years. The last Test at Eden Gardens was the pink-ball Test. I wasn't part of the playing XI then, but I was in the squad and watched it from the sidelines. So, this being my first Test match here at Eden Gardens, and to be leading my country on this ground, is a huge honour for me," the right-hand batter added.
Test Squads:
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper) (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Zubayr Hamza, Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer. (ANI)
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