South African spinner Simon Harmer was rushed to hospital after leading the team to victory over Team India in the first Test of the two-match series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. However, the off-spinner returned to training ahead of the second Test, which was scheduled to take place in Guwahati from November 22.
Harmer hurt his right shoulder during the series opener. The incident took place while he was fielding. He landed awkwardly and injured his shoulder while trying to prevent the ball from reaching the boundary. The spin bowler was taken to a Calcutta hospital for scans to assess the extent of the damage.
Simon Harmer named player of the match for his sensational bowling
Simon Harmer made full use of the spin-friendly surface in Kolkata. With the visitors opting for just two spinners, he took advantage of the conditions that helped slow bowlers. India had prepared a turning point, expecting it to work in their favor.
Harmer finished the entire match with exceptional figures of 8 for 51. He took four wickets in each innings, leaving the Indian batters with few answers. The spinner removed batters like Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav.
Harmer won the Player of the Match award. The Proteas bowled out India for just 93 runs on day three while defending a total of 123 runs. They achieved a victory by 30 runs and it was their first Test win on Indian soil in 15 years.
Simon Harmer is training fully fit as South Africa prepares at the ACA Stadium
RevSportz shared photos from the South African training session at the ACA Stadium ahead of the second Test on X (formerly known as Twitter). The biggest positive for the visitors was Simon Harmer returning to action after his shoulder injury in the series opener.
Harmer looked fully fit as he bowled for extended periods in the nets along with fellow spinner Keshav Maharaj. His recovery is crucial for South Africa, especially after his match-winning performance in Calcutta. He is ready to take the field in Guwahati with the series win on the line.
In photos: Moments from South Africa practicing here at the ACA Stadium. Simon Harmer is fully fit and was seen in the nets with Maharaj.
📷 @debasissen #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/b2WJW61kqb— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 20, 2025
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Temba Bavuma anchored South Africa’s second innings with an unbeaten 55 off a spinning delivery. India missed regular skipper Shubman Gill during the chase. Gill retired injured after facing three balls in the first innings and played no further role in the remainder of the match.
Washington Sundar and Axar Patel showed brief resistance. Sundar scored 31 before falling to Aiden Markram’s part-time spin, while Patel scored 26 before being dismissed by Maharaj. The win sparked huge celebrations as South Africa secured a rare Test victory on Indian soil.
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