India on back foot after SA pile up 489
South Africa seized full control of the second Test in Guwahati as Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden Test hundred and Marco Jansen’s explosive 93 powered the visitors to a formidable 489 on Day 2. In response, India reached 9/0 in 6.1 overs at stumps, with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (7*) and KL Rahul (2*) surviving a testing new-ball spell but still staring at a 480-run deficit.
Left-hander Muthusamy anchored the South African innings with a composed 109, mixing solid defence with well-judged aggression to register his first century at this level. He found a destructive ally in Jansen, whose 93 off the lower order turned the screws on India and shifted the momentum decisively in the visitors’ favour.
Muthusamy’s maiden ton breaks India’s grip
Resuming from an overnight position that offered India some hope, South Africa rode on Muthusamy’s temperament and shot selection to push beyond the 400-run mark. The left-hander struck 10 fours and 2 sixes in his 109, farming the strike expertly with the tail and blunting India’s plans with the second new ball.
India’s bowlers had begun the Test brightly, with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja prising out key middle-order wickets late on Day 1, but Muthusamy’s refusal to buckle ensured South Africa always stayed ahead. His dismissal, caught at fine leg off Mohammed Siraj for 109, finally ended a marathon stay that had already inflicted substantial damage on India’s hopes.
Jansen’s counterattack shatters India’s plans
If Muthusamy drained India, Jansen’s innings broke them open, as the tall allrounder launched a ferocious counterattack from No. 8. He smashed seven sixes and multiple boundaries in a 93 that repeatedly forced India’s spinners out of the attack and left the field spread, allowing South Africa to score freely in the final session.
Jansen farmed the strike cleverly with the lower order, adding vital runs with Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj to stretch the total to 489. He ultimately fell seven short of a maiden Test ton, chopping on to a Kuldeep googly, but by then South Africa had secured a score that gives them control of both the Test and the series narrative.
Kuldeep shines, India’s attack toils
For India, Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4 for 115 after repeatedly striking in the middle overs to keep South Africa in check. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with two wickets apiece, yet the attack struggled to finish off the lower order once the ball softened and the pitch eased out.
The missed opportunity to dismiss Jansen earlier and the inability to contain Muthusamy’s strike rotation meant India leaked crucial runs in the final session. By the time Bumrah cleaned up Harmer and Kuldeep ended Jansen’s stay, South Africa had already claimed a total that reflects both their discipline and India’s inconsistency with the ball.
India’s openers face mountain to climb
India’s reply began cautiously, with Jaiswal showing positive intent by flicking Jansen for the first boundary of the innings while Rahul focused on survival in fading light. The hosts closed at 9/0 after 6.1 overs when poor visibility forced an early stumps, leaving a massive 480 runs still to be erased.
With three full days remaining, India’s hopes hinge on a long, attritional batting effort from the top order and middle order to first avoid the follow-on and then attempt to drag the game towards safety. South Africa, meanwhile, will sense a rare chance to push for a series-clinching win in Indian conditions, armed with scoreboard pressure and a confident bowling unit.
