3 Proteas Who Could Trouble India In Upcoming Test Series

Team India will host South Africa for a big two-match Test series at home. This comes after India picked up some confidence by winning their last series against the West Indies. The games against South Africa are important because the team is still settling into a new era under captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Earlier this year, India had a tough time in Australia, especially without experienced players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who had stepped away from Test cricket. They then just managed a 2–2 draw against a weakened England side.

As South Africa look to replicate New Zealand’s heroics in India from last year, here is a look at three visiting Proteas cricketers who can torment Shubman Gill and co. throughout the upcoming two-match World Test Championship (WTC) rubber.

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Simon Harmer Bowler

Simon Harmer, who has taken exactly 1,000 first-class wickets, was South Africa’s top bowler in their recent two-Test series in Pakistan. He took 13 wickets in four innings, with a very good average of 21.30 and a strike rate of 42.53.

Unlike Keshav Maharaj, Harmer has already done well in Test matches in India. During South Africa’s 2015 tour, he took 10 wickets against India in four innings at an average of 25.40. With a pedigree of bowling in all conditions and a fondness of flourishing on turning wickets, Simon Harmer’s ability makes him a lethal spin exponent who could once again trouble India’s batters with his sharp turn and relentless accuracy.

Apart from his recent form and wealth of first-class experience, the Essex legend has also amassed over 6,500 red-ball runs with the bat at an impressive lower-order average of nearly 24.

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Senuran Muthusamy Batting Allrounder

Senuran Muthusamy had a great tour of Pakistan. The 31-year-old South African spinner won the Player of the Series award after taking 11 wickets and scoring more than 100 runs. His 11-wicket performance in Lahore was a standout moment, and his fighting 89* in Rawalpindi helped South Africa earn a historic win by eight wickets.

Even though he has only played seven Test matches, Muthusamy is already shaping up to be a reliable all-rounder for South Africa, especially on subcontinent tours. He played two of those matches in India, albeit with little-to-no success, back in 2019. Now, with another shot at India on the horizon, Muthusamy has the perfect stage to rewrite his subcontinental story. Given India’s recent inconsistencies against quality spin, the trio of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy could well pose the kind of threat that unsettled them against New Zealand last year.

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Keshav Maharaj Bowler

Keshav Maharaj, a right-handed bat and left-arm bowler for India, is one of the most successful and decorated cricketers in the world.

Keshav Maharaj recently returned to the South African team in style, taking a match-winning seven wickets against Pakistan in Rawalpindi last month. The 35-year-old has played 60 Test matches and has taken 212 wickets so far, with a strong bowling average of 29.20.

While Keshav Maharaj averages an expensive 85.66 in Test matches in India and 94.75 against them overall (his worst against any single opponent), his recent resurgence coupled with years of experience and renewed confidence indicate that the senior pro will be eager to rewrite those numbers and make a strong statement on Indian soil.

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by Shekhar November 10, 2025