Kumble, who was to undergo the fitness test on Thursday, had postponed it to this morning hoping to recover fully from a groin injury which he picked up during the series.
Even in the Ahmedabad match, Kumble had to take a fitness test but had decided to play the match which India lost by an innings and 90 runs within three days.
Dhoni, who is India's one-day and Twenty20 captain, gets the opportunity to display his leadership skills in the longest version of the game. But it was hardly the perfect start as he lost the toss on a wicket which was expected to deteriorate rapidly.
Kumble's absence gave young leg-spinner Piyush Chawla an opportunity to return to the Test team after a long gap, though he has been in and out of the ODI team in recent times.
This will be his first Test since his debut in March 2006.
The Indians made three changes to the team that suffered the humiliating defeat in Ahmedabad with Yuvraj Singh and fit-again Ishant Sharma returning to the side in place of R P Singh and Irfan Pathan.
The South Africans retained the same team that did duty in Ahmedabad.
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