Senuran Muthusamy of South Africa plays a shot during the Day 2 of the 2nd Test match between India and South Africa at ACA Stadium, Guwahati, India, on November 23, 2025. (CREIMAS for BCCI)India (IND) vs South Africa (SA) 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul survived 6.1 overs in fading light but South Africa have taken complete control of the second Test in Guwahati at the end of Day 2, ahead by 480 runs. A fine ton by Senuran Muthusamy and a near three-figure effort from Marco Jansen powered South Africa to a mammoth 489. Muthusamy scored his first Test century, a near-flawless one at that, to put India way behind the eight-ball as South Africa reached 428/7 at lunch. Jansen’s arrival to the middle at No 9 saw South Africa up the scoring rate and the pace-bowling all-rounder managed some big hits beyond the fence. Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja finally provided a breakthrough for India on Day 2 in the second session as he dismissed Kyle Verreynne. No wickets fell in the first session as Verreynne and Muthusamy frustrated Indian bowlers by being steadfast in defence.
On the opening day, India worked their way back into the match, picking up four wickets in the last session to make it an even battle at stumps. South Africa had two 80+ run partnerships on a slow-scoring day but India managed to restrict them to 247/6 at stumps. Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs fell shortly after lunch that opened the window for India. The SA batters had steadied the ship after they lost their openers either of the first session break. Jasprit Bumrah struck in the last over of the first session while Kuldeep Yadav struck immediately after the break to remove Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton on. It was then Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep’s turn to provide the next two breakthroughs. Mohammed Siraj also chipped in with a late wicket with the second new ball
India vs South Africa 2nd Test Match Live Cricket Score, Full Scorecard: Follow here
At the toss, new captain, but it was the same bad luck as Rishabh Pant lost the flip of the coin with Temba Bavuma opting to bat first. India have made two changes, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and B Sai Sudharsan returning to the playing XI. South Africa made one change to replace Corbin Bosch with spinner Senuran Muthusamy. The hosts are without regular captain Shubman Gill who suffered a neck during the Eden Test, with Pant becoming the 38th Indian skipper in this format.
India vs South Africa Live Cricket Streaming for 2nd Test Match
The Test in Guwahati, which is the first one ever to be held here, and is a pretty unique experience for the players as well as the fans with 20-minute tea taken first and then lunch later in the day in order to maximize the daylight hours. With the sun setting early in this part of the country, the day begins at 9 AM and will likely wrap up around 4 pm.
South Africa finish day 2 in complete control of this Test and a hand-and-a-half on the trophy all for themselves, as India trail by a mammoth 480 runs still. And with just 80 overs at the most possible on the remaining three days, an India win seems the least likely result at this point.
A quick summary:
Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul survived 6.1 overs in fading light but South Africa have taken complete control of the second Test in Guwahati at the end of Day 2, ahead by 480 runs. A fine ton by Senuran Muthusamy and a near three-figure effort from Marco Jansen powered South Africa to a mammoth 489. Muthusamy scored his first Test century, a near-flawless one at that, to put India way behind the eight-ball as South Africa reached 428/7 at lunch. Jansen's arrival to the middle at No 9 saw South Africa up the scoring rate and the pace-bowling all-rounder managed some big hits beyond the fence. Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja finally provided a breakthrough for India on Day 2 in the second session as he dismissed Kyle Verreynne. No wickets fell in the first session as Verreynne and Muthusamy frustrated Indian bowlers by being steadfast in defence.
No, we won't continue. Just one ball in that Jansen over... and the light has clearly dropped significantly.
STUMPS: India survive a tough 6.1 over period, 9/0. South Africa in complete command.
Jaiswal plays out another maiden over off Mulder, the third straight so far from that end.
The umpires get together at the end of that over to discuss the light situation... and they decide to contnue.
Reminder, technically there are more than 10 overs left in the day, but unlikely we are getting those in.
Maybe a couple more. Jansen continues...
KL Rahul seems not too happy to carry on batting here. As Ravi Shastri says, there is nothing to gain for a batter in these situations. The Indian opener is forcibly opening his eyes wide to get the light right. Plays out a solid over off Jansen.
The umpires do have the light meter out now.
Ravi Shastri, former India coach, floats an interesting idea on commentary. With the obvious caveat that India have to bat well in the first innings, he says India would have to be ready to even declare while being behind SA's first innings total because they have to force the play here. Mulder bowls out a maiden over to Jaiswal.
Oh wow, after a tight over from over the wicket to KL Rahul, Jansen switches to around the wicket angle for the last ball. Rahul shoulders arms to one that angles in and it wasn't very far off from the stumps! But as the cliche goes, there are only two types of leaves in cricket... good ones and ones that get you out.
The light has faded much quicker than yesterday, says Ravi Shastri on air at the end of the first over where Jaiswal did look to play his shots and put away one behind square for four.
It might not even be 30 mins left in the day's play then.
Just over 30 minutes to bat for India, given play ended around 4 pm last evening.
Jaiswal and Rahul have a tricky period to play out.
What a way to miss out on your first ever Test hundred. Batted superbly all day when he had good attacking intent but when he decided to be a bit more careful while heading towards the landmark, he is off after a tame dismissal. Just prods at one outside offstump from Kuldeep and chops it on the stumps. Nearly smashed the stumps as he started walking off, utterly displeased with himself as he lets out a couple of cries of frustration and doesn't even acknowledge all the adulation he rightly receives.
Marco Jansen b Kuldeep Yadav 93 (91 balls)
SA all out for 489 in 151.1 overs
IF you thought Keshav Maharaj will casually play out an over after being given the strike, think again. Dances down the track to Kuldeep Yadav and nicely times one down the ground for four. Perhaps the most accomplished No 11 there could be. Lovely shot.
Kuldeep Yadav to start after the drinks break and the shadows are already prominent...
will Marco Jansen go big or big steady?
South Africa are about 45-50 mins away from batting out two full days in this match.
Jansen keeps strikes on 91 as players break for drinks.
Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Siraj... Pant perhaps worried about going to spinners at this stage with Jansen's big levers.
Siraj is not a happy man. The ploy was clear. Round the wicket. Short ball. So the deep midwicket is the obvious hotspot. But he feels Jaiswal didn't react quick enough to one of the less-clean strikes from Jansen today. The ball skids past Jaiswal for a four. A long stare into the distance from Siraj.
Meanwhile, Jansen retains strike for the next over and has now reached his highest Test score at 88*.
A couple of prods outside the offstump but no outside edge. Maharaj then plays a flick past midwicket for a couple off the last ball and that means Jansen is back on strike next over. Watch out, fans in the stands.
Siraj will continue.
Jansen is confident enough with Maharaj's abilities to trust and take a single off the last ball in that Siraj over. But Bumrah might have other ideas from the other end.
End of that over that started with Harmer's wicket. Bumrah has a half-chance to take a return catch to dismiss Jansen but to be fair, that was hit pretty hard back at him. It goes for four, meaning Jansen is into the 80s and Siraj has a go potentially for a full over at Keshav Maharaj --- mind you, no mug with the bat for No 11.
That's a Jasprit Bumrah classic. Good length ball that angles in, and straightens ever so slightly. Too good for a No 10 batter. Simon Harmer is beaten on the outside edge and the stumps are rattled.
Simon Harmer b Jasprit Bumrah 5 (17 balls)
Geez, Marco Jansen is going through the full depth of his kitbag! Plays a flat-batted swat down the ground off Siraj and runs straight through to the dug out towards Rabada. But looks like this time is a taped up older bat.
A couple of quieter overs here, with Bumrah and Siraj bowling in tandem.
He is on the charge, is Marco Jansen. This time off Siraj, who is bowling around the wicket and is obviously trying to bowl the short stuff. But the problem is Jansen is ridiculously tall so a bouncer for someone is chest high for him. First Jansen smashes one over mid on for four, then over midwicket for a six. Seventh six of the innings for Jansen.
This is just utterly clean ball-striking from Marco Jansen! Jadeja into the attack, bowl one fullish and Jansen drives like he is playing golf, into the stands. The next six is a slog sweep, similar region and same result. Stunning.
That was signature Siraj. After the first-ball wicket, he runs in hard with the crowd finding their voice, and delivers a gem of an over to Harmer as well. Wicket-maiden. The last ball wasn't far away from the stumps as Harmer shouldered arms.
And finally, the vigil ends. A long vigil at that. There was already a sign of his before lunch. That time Siraj was at fine leg and the ball fell in front as Senuram mishit a bouncer from Bumrah. This time Siraj delivers the bouncer and it carries to Jaiswal off the top edge.
Senuran Muthusamy c Yashasvi Jaiswal b Mohammed Siraj 109 (206 balls)
What an inspired change this was from South Africa to bring in Muthusamy into the line-up. It was a cracking innings from him. He has absorbed the pressure quite brilliantly and played his shots from time to time. Well, these are the kind of innings which have cost India Test matches in the past. It is going to be another absorbing session, so do stay with us.
Between three deliveries on either side of Saturday morning’s chai-break and the fleeting five-over period that followed, the expectant Guwahati crowd witnessed a slice of what Test cricket’s creative peaks looked like, conjured up by two contrasting bowling superstars.
When Jasprit Bumrah customarily bore the brunt of the bowling load, Kuldeep Yadav (3/48) did the easier things to reel in wickets on India’s grinding Guwahati initiation. The masterful duo comfortably led the early resurgence, leaving South Africa six down for 247 before stumps. (Read more from Lalith Kalidas)
Leaving Tristan Stubbs one short of a milestone would have satisfied Kuldeep Yadav the most on Saturday. The sheer deviousness of his craft, that can nearly make all the debate about the pitch redundant with a classical turnaround, will be encouraging too.
The Stubbs dismissal occurred on a Guwahati track that India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate described as “lifeless”. It was a tough bowling day, indeed, but the Barsapara surface wasn’t necessarily turning its back on cricket smarts. That Kuldeep snared three of the six South African wickets on an opening day of parity continues to raise his stature as India’s second-leading all-weather threat, almost at par with Jasprit Bumrah. (Read more from Lalith Kalidas)
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
One over of short-ball barrage from Siraj to close out the session. Should India have tried more of this? Moot point at the moment.
And whatever is being served up will taste delicious for South Africa, as they are in complete control in Guwahati. Another stunning session. 94-run stand off just 101 balls between Muthusamy and Jansen.
Like we said earlier, the pathway for a win in this match seems farther and farther away for India.
SA AT LUNCH: 428/7
Some big hits to the fence, a couple of broken bats, and a fine half century from Marco Jansen who has to be one of the best No 9s in Test cricket at the moment. Perfect illustrtaion of the batting depth South Africa have.
A superbly controlled knock to get Senuran Muthusamy his maiden Test hundred. An 89* in his last innings in Rawalpindi and now this. Didn't even seem to be in contention to play this Test in the build up and that's just how discreetly he constructed his innings today. There wasn't anything in front of the wicket through the V in the morning's session. In fact his first scoring shot in the V was off his 165th delivery that had powered SA past 350. The range of shots have unfurled since then, growing to 10 fours and two sixes in total so far. With Jansen pressing through the gears, South Africa have completed the two sessions of play today
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
With a superbly timed sweep for six off Kuldeep Yadav, Senuran Muthusamy enters the 90s! And then plays a lovely leg glance for four. With a single, he moves to 99 and keeps strike.
Even Rishabh Pant has gone silent.
That was a terrific over from Jasprit Bumrah! Three straight bouncers to Jansen, and all well directed. Then comes the slower fuller ball but Jansen was ready for this one. Defends it to cover. Bumrah then finishes the over with two deliveries that beat Jansen's outside edge. Lovely comeback over. But he might be done for this spell.
Well, it's fair to say South Africa have more than just a hand on the series trophy at this point.
They have crossed 400, this partnership has well and truly swung this series towards the visiting dugout.
Bumrah pings one short, a great bouncer that. Senuran goes for the hook shot, gets the top edge. But Siraj seemed a bit slow to get off his mark and the ball falls in front of him. But on replays it has fallen well before him.
Meanwhile, Jansen smashes a six off Kuldeep, needs a change of bat. Then smashes a four down the ground off Bumrah, needs another change of bat! He's making Rabada work hard.
ASHWIN ON X (a while back): "SA have knocked off 5 sessions from this test now. India will have to do the heavy lifting to push for a win, also keeping in mind that another session will surely be lost due to bad light. Muthusamy’s defensive technique against spin has been the highlight so far."
Marco Jansen puts away a full toss from Bumrah through cover and the alarm bells continue to ring sharply for India.
It brings up the 50-run partnership off just 50 balls!
Lalith Kalidas from the press box: A little straighter and that latest six from Jansen would have hit on the glass right in front of me
The runs are flowing now! 19 runs in the two overs since the drinks break. Jansen hits Jadeja over midwicket for six and in the next over goes big down the ground off Kuldeep. Meanwhile, Senuran pulls out the reverse sweep for four too off Kuldeep.
And of course, India go to Bumrah as the match and series continues to slip away.
Jansen with more aggressive intent. A clean hit towards square leg for a four off Jadeja.
It is difficult to see a pathway for a India win from here on. They'd have to bat big amd score fast, almost Bazball-esque to stand any chance of forcing a result on Day 5.
Anyway, not to get carried away, but SA look super on course for a famous series win.
Time for drinks. SA 360/7.
Lalith Kalidas with a funny update from the venue:
Hahaha, Siraj leaves his floppy hat on the spider-cam at the start of that Washington over. He tries and tries his bit for the crowd too. Been trying to cheer them after Tea, encouraging them to clap for Bumrah from his mid-on station as the senior man steamed in, and now this! Never a dull moment with him around.
First Jansen off Jadeja. And then Senuran off Sundar. TWO SIXES IN TWO OVERS!
Jansen uses his long levers to great effect, a no look six over wide on. In the next over, first sign off real aggression from Senuran (who has nearly faced 30 overs!), slog swept over long on off Washington.
South Africa have crossed 350 and this match and series is slipping away.
A supremely talented No 8 to have in your side. Jansen might not be as defensive as South Africa have been so far, there might be a couple of chances here. But in these conditions, he might add a few quick runs here.
Washington to continue. "Guys, play with the timer, please!" Rishabh Pant reminds during the over-break.
FINALLY, INDIA HAVE A WICKET! After 38 overs today, India strike. Kyle Verreynne has tried a few times to come down the track to smother the spin. This time he does so a bit too early. Jadeja sees it and fires a 97kph bullet wide outside off stump. Rishabh Pant is ready and does really well to gather and break the stumps.
Kyle Verreynne st Rishabh Pant b Jadeja 45 (122 balls)
Jadeja and Washington in tandem now after a short burst for Bumrah. The partnership has now crossed 220 deliveries. Beyond frustrating for India at the moment and everything – pitch, conditions, atmosphere – flat at the moment.
Bumrah angles one in on Verreynne's pads, the ball nestles into Pant's gloves. Just half an appeal from Pant and Bumrah. But Dhruv Jurel comes rushing towards Pant and convinces him to take the review because he heard something.
But nope... the ball brushed the pad. Rahul throws his head back in frustration. A wasted review.
India have one review left.
Oh, nearly one of Bumrah's signature yorkers! A low full toss but nearly pinpoint zoning on the toe but Verreynne keeps it out just about.
Starts off with over the wicket for three balls, and then goes around the wicket. The last ball is a yorker gone wrong, as Bumrah bowls a full toss and Senuran helps himself to the easiest of boundaries.
Jadeja from the other end.
Bumrah has the ball in hand at the start of the second session. India would be desperate to start batting before the lunch break in a couple of hours.
Couple of noteworthy stats... this is the longest innings of the series, the previous session was first of this series without the loss of a wicket, and Senuran Muthusamy has scored only the second half century of the series after Bavuma's.
Bit more attacking fieldsets, bit more variation of pace from the finger spinners, India would need to not allow South Africa take easy singles. Let them hit boundaries: Anil Kumble's advice during the tea break
The partnership is unbroken on 70 off a full 30 overs.
In 29.1 overs, SA score a nice 69 runs at a run-rate of 2.37.
Proteas have put their feet down today and frustrated India big time.
Really only dangerous moment of the session was the LBW decision that was given out against Senuran but was overturned.
A quick Washington Sundar maiden over gives Inda just enough time to have one more over before the tea break. This is when they struck first on Day 1 with Bumrah. Today it is Kuldeep Yadav.
Senuran Muthusamy, remember the name. Other than that hairy LBW moment, he has looked in complete control. A fine half century having been out there in the middle for more than 20 overs. Remember, it's not just the runs, the time he is taking out of the game here is crucial as well.
300 up for South Africa. If you take out the sweep from Muthusamy early in the day to Kuldeep to the square boundary, it's interesting to see how he has orchestrated the push to 300 quite ordinarily with 1s and 2s over the last 90 minutes. Verreynne, the wicket-keeper, has shown a little bit more of his attacking instincts, taking a liking for the cut against the spinners. And as I type, the conditions have gotten considerably cooler.
Lalith Kalidas from the venue
That has got to be the softest "spike" ever on UltraEdge that has gone in favour of the batter. Even the Rod Tucker looked stunned that it was called a spike. Ravindra Jadeja gets the decision in his favour on the field as Senuran Muthusamy misses a sweep, perhaps his first mistake all morning. It looked plumb, even he didn't think he had hit it. But the TV umpire sees that as evidence enough that it took the glove. Doubt the Indians will be happy with that call.
A comparison of how the speeds of the three Indian spinners have varied. Kuldeep expectedly the slower among all of them.
Screengrab: JioHotstar
The 50-run stand comes up off 127 balls, slow and steady. And shortly after, Verreynne cuts Jadeja late and fine for another boundary as South Africa's 300 comes up, This is now firmly swinging towards South Africa as they are adding runs and taking time off the game... both problematic for India in a must-win situation.
Four different bowlers for four overs after drinks from India. Just one over each for Kuldeep and Bumrah, and Pant gos to Washy and Jadeja now, presumably for a longer period of time. Washy with a tidy enough over but Jadeja starts with a loose one that Verreynne put away for four.
Frustrations continue for India.
After the drinks break, Pant goes to Kuldeep and Bumrah in tandem.... perhaps it is time to bring on Washington from one end to test Senuran surely? Verreynne starts of post drinks proceedings with a confident four through the offside.
After a tidy Bumrah over, it is indeed Washy to replace Kuldeep.
Bumrah back for another spell as India are starting to get desperate. And he creates a half chance right away! Outside edge as Bumrah goes over the wicket and the angle induces the chance. But the ball falls short of Rahul. Bumrah, meanwhile, concedes his first runs of the day.
DRINKS: 275/6 after 95 overs
A rasping sweep from Senuran off Kuldeep, superbly placed for a four. He has done the hard yards here and now perhaps would look to make the most of spending time in the middle.
Meanwhile, Siraj continues from the other end and he seems to be of the opinion that the ball has lost its shape. And yes, the ball shape apparatus thingamajig agrees with Siraj. The ball is being changed just over 10 overs after being in play.
Who is Senuran Muthusamy? South Africa’s spin-bowling allrounder who has ancestral roots in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam
The dreadlocked South African batsman Tony de Zorzi screamed “Sen”, and a dozen puzzled faces turned back at him. The intended recipient was Senuran Muthusamy, his teammate, his tongue-twisting first name abbreviated to “Sen”, which is a common surname in these parts too. His name, both full and crunched, has always provoked curiosity. In 2019, most of his only press conference was spent explaining the roots of his name. “My forefathers are from the south of India in Tamil Nadu, migrated several years ago,” he would start.
A frustrating first 40 minutes for India with the pacers not managing to trouble Kyle Verreynne and Muthusamy too much. Just the three overs in the morning's first spell for Bumrah who nearly took out Verreynne with a yorker. Kuldeep Yadav took over from him early with the hard ball but his captain Rishabh Pant has now copped two warnings from the umpire for taking too much time to settle down between overs. (It resets after 80 overs) Another couple of warnings and India will be handed a five-run penalty. With the sun beating down hard quite early, India will still need to grind for breakthroughs this session.
Lalith Kalidas from the venue
So Siraj comes over from the end Bumrah was bowling. A punch through point from Verreynne and some terrific hustle from Nitish to keep it to 3. But Pollock rightly points out whether it is worth putting the body on the line to save one run as Nitish gets up gingerly after rolling over the boundary rope. Follows that up with another lovely stop at cover to prevent a certain four.
Looks like Kuldeep Yadav has been warned a second time for not starting the over within 60 seconds after the end of the previous over. That is really poor from the Indian spinner. Could have bowled the first ball and then adjusted the field as needed. Rishabh Pant didn't sound pleased from behind the stumps.
Stop clock
It has been prevalent in white-ball cricket for a while and it has been introduced into Test cricket as well. To improve the over-rates, bowling teams must now be ready to bowl the first ball of a new over 60 seconds after the previous one. If teams don’t compile, umpires will give two warnings, and if they fail for the third time in an innings, five runs will be awarded to the opposition. The two warnings will reset to zero after the completion of 80 overs and any future blocks of 80 overs.
CONFIRMATION FROM BROADCAST: Even though it is the second warning for Kuldeep, it is after the 80-over mark, so it has been reset. Apparently the previous warning came in the 45th over.
THREE Straight maiden overs! Immovable object, unstoppable force stuff at the moment.
And India go to spin, Kuldeep comes on for Siraj.
Verreynne has added a small trigger movement to his footwork compared to Kolkata, so as not to get stuck on the crease. Interesting splitscreen on the broadcast.
Screengrab: JioHotstar
Disciplined bowling from Bumrah and Siraj but India would be slightly concerned early on that there is literally nothing happening off the pitch or in the air with this new ball.
A lovely yorker from Bumrah to Verreynne that was kept out equally well.
Siraj bowling over the wicket to Senuran, testing the angle. But he plays out a solid over too.
SA in no hurry.
There is a little bit of Usman Khawaja in Senuran's technique. Very solid. Minimalistic.
Meanwhile, Siraj goes for the bouncer to test out Verreynne's technique early on and uff, a perfectly timed pull shot for four from the keeper-bat that splits the two fielders in the deep for the first boundary this morning.
Pollock once again says the conditions look great for batting and India would want to make sure the tail doesn't wag too much here for the visitors.
Bumrah goes around the wicket straight away to the left-handed Senuran. Nice rhythm for the Indian spearhead, a probing over in the 4th stump channel but Senuran continues to show compact technique.
Shaun Pollock starts off saying he doesn't understand the defensive field set early on here by India. Two fielders in the deep on the leg side for Senuran and he happily taps there for a single to keep strike.
Bumrah time now. Important spell for India this one.
The day ended with a Siraj bouncer essentially, so he will finish the 82nd over.
Bumrah would most definitely come on from the other end.
Senuran holds the key for South Africa here, mind you they have batting till the very end.
Day 2 pitch report.
Pollock: Definitely looking drier so far. The ball nipped around in the first session on Day 1. They bowled nicely. We have to wait and see what the second new ball does. There was more bounce for spinners in the first session, that was due to the moisture in the pitch. Day 2 is best batting day.
Deep Dasgupta: 9 am start, there would be something for seamers early on. Footmarks there, the pitch has dried out. Still to good bat on.
After Bumrah added the masala to India’s 11 am Tea, castling Markram two balls before the break, Kuldeep returned to spin Rickelton out with a snappy leg-break. Swerving the ball into the southpaw, it didn’t take a prodigious turn to stir the faulty drive to the lively captain, Rishabh Pant, behind the stumps. With the pitch still retaining hardness, the visitors promoted Tristan Stubbs back up to the volatile No. 3 slot. It had its merit on the wicket with Stubbs' firm punches and liking to walk down the track, keeping the spinners away from total control in the second session.
Stubbs and Bavuma extended an unhurried response to fend off the spinners over the next 30 overs with a diet of sweeps and smites between square leg and wide long on. Their attacking lines unyielding, Ravindra Jadeja was the first to return to flighted deliveries outside the off-stump, inviting Bavuma to commit the mistake in his offense, ending with a tame chip to the mid-on fielder. Ushering in a similar ploy away from the batters, Kuldeep claimed Stubbs (49) and Wiaan Mulder in his first spell in the final session. Seizing 82.5 overs with an hour’s play under the floodlights, India eventually ensured no easy runaways for the visitors. As Siraj’s outswinger claimed the jittery Tony de Zorzi caught-behind a minute before stumps, Northeast’s dipping skies too stood kinder to the hosts, holding up a little longer than usual before breaking for the night.
Cheteshwar Pujara on what he hates when facing Bumrah: The kind of angle he creates... on Day 2, he will be fresh and charged up. He bowled really well yesterday. With the new ball, he has the ability to swing the ball both the ways.
The Barsapara Stadium track is more suited to Indian team's current template, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Saturday but insisted that the result of a Test match is determined by the quality of a team and not the pitch. Ten Doeschate termed the first day track as the one where scoring runs was a tad difficult. Most of the Proteas top-order batters were dismissed after getting starts. The visitors ended day one on 247 for six after electing to bat. "My personal point of view is that the wicket very rarely determines who wins the game. If we'd played better in Kolkata, I feel we could have won the Test on that surface," Ten Doeschate said at the end of the opening day's play. "But having said that, you've got to introspect and look at recent results. These sort of wickets maybe do suit us a little bit better."
India's decision two play two fast bowlers, one pace bowling all-rounder and three spinners is a strategy that could possibly come in handy on this surface. "The template for us is probably closer to this, than playing on some of the wickets we have played on. You've got to be prepared to fight really hard and this game is going to go deep. Make sure you stay in the game."
(via PTI)
Cheteshwar Pujara wants India to restrict South Africa below 350 and India to look for 450 or so.
Anil Kumble's early morning thoughts: When I had a look at the pitch, there are spots that can help spinners later in the game. First innings is key for India, they need to bat big. If you are a good batter, you can convert the starts which South Africa haven't done.
Between three deliveries on either side of Saturday morning’s chai-break and the fleeting five-over period that followed, the expectant Guwahati crowd witnessed a slice of what Test cricket’s creative peaks looked like, conjured up by two contrasting bowling superstars. When Jasprit Bumrah customarily bore the brunt of the bowling load, Kuldeep Yadav (3/48) did the easier things to reel in wickets on India's grinding Guwahati initiation. The masterful duo comfortably led the early resurgence, leaving South Africa six down for 247 before stumps. While he can turn up trumps practically any time - as he did in a short four-ball notice before the first break - Bumrah’s attacking postures had begun to recede when Kuldeep grew into his and nabbed wickets with a simpler but enticing plan against the South African top order. But it was a largely even morning that put the storylines in place for India's progressive bowling success.
Kolkata's bowling hero Simon Harmer has opted for an early morning hit in the nets before he's slotted to come in at No. 10 today.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
Good morning from Guwahati. A much busier 8 am in and around Barsapara. The Assam Cricket Association expects a full house. Only a sparse crowd was in attendance for the opening session on Day 1 but that's likely to change today. South Africa will have their task cut out in the dewy first hour against the second new ball.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
Kuldeep has last laugh against Delhi Capitals teammate Stubbs
Spinners flighting the ball to earn wickets on a Day 1 red-soil pitch would have pleased old-school India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who noted how it was a rare sight in the modern game. “Because of T20 and one-day cricket, spinners don’t seem to be flighting the ball as much as they used to. And if they do, batters seem to be playing it very aggressively,” Kotak had said on Thursday. Flatter lines have also, in due course, restricted batters, like Stubbs, from attempting the step-outs in whites, nullifying the pitfalls that came along. The courage to toss up the ball also handed Kuldeep his third scalp, removing a misfiring Wiaan Mulder due to a faltering slog to mid-off in the 68th over. “It looks like a normal ball on TV. But when you play that as a batter, you feel it's a flighted delivery, and you can hit it over the top, but it wasn't successful. It's a game of the mind. It's called forced errors. He forced the batters to do something different,” Kuldeep’s former India teammate Cheteshwar Pujara told the broadcasters shortly after.
Kuldeep has last laugh against Delhi Capitals teammate Stubbs
Leaving Tristan Stubbs one short of a milestone would have satisfied Kuldeep Yadav the most on Saturday. The sheer deviousness of his craft, that can nearly make all the debate about the pitch redundant with a classical turnaround, will be encouraging too. The Stubbs dismissal occurred on a Guwahati track that India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate described as “lifeless”. It was a tough bowling day, indeed, but the Barsapara surface wasn’t necessarily turning its back on cricket smarts. That Kuldeep snared three of the six South African wickets on an opening day of parity continues to raise his stature as India’s second-leading all-weather threat, almost at par with Jasprit Bumrah.
“The change is not so much technical, but I think more mental, probably tightening your game plan, especially if it’s doing a bit up front and maybe checking your scoring options.”
“It’s not the easiest thing moving around but whatever the coach asks, I’m just happy to be in the team. I have worked a lot on my defence as I had been a white ball player.
“….and then being asked to go about at number three, so I grafted hard on the defence and because I find that at number three, you can afford to be a little bit more defensive,” said Stubbs, who played 113 balls on the day.
"Red soil pitch, the grass cover is substantial. Good pitch, it's nice and hard. With the early start, with the fact there's a bit of cloud, there'll be a little bit of moisture on the deck. Bat first and negotiate the first hour. We'll have to wait and see if there'll be spin. Looks like a really good Test pitch."
“We’ve always chirped each other that he hasn’t often bowled to me, and then today he walked past and he said, ‘You can’t say I don’t bowl to you anymore’.
“But I have faced him enough. I have sort of played with him, so you get the feel. If I had to think about him before the series, on a good wicket, how would he get you out, it’s probably what he’s done there, just like I think with the drift, angling and sort of no spin.”
“I have faced him quite a few times. This was the first ball of his new spell and I think the best one he has bowled,” Stubbs, who scored 49 off 113 balls, said at the end of the day’s play.
“From my angle, it sort of beat me in the drift, that’s sort of why my hands got away, so I think that’s how he got me out.
“It was just the drift and my hands sort of following it, so it’s probably on a day one wicket, that’s probably how he’s trying to get you out, but for him to bowl that first ball of his, coming back, I thought it was quite impressive,” Stubbs couldn’t stop gushing about the delivery.
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
Hello and welcome to our live blog of India taking on South Africa for Day 2. It was an exhilarating cricket on Day 1 ,and given how the pitch has been playing, we might expect more or less the same. Do stay with us for all the updates through the day.
Tristan Stubbs: A bit disappointing at the end there. Lot of us in the top six got in, and didn't go on to make it big. I prefer batting at No 3 than anywhere else. The pitch played quite nicely, but they played well, it wasn't free flowing and the scoreboard wasn't going to anywhere. I can't believe Kuldeep got me out and KL caught it (laughs, as they are DC teammates). First innings runs are going to be big and hope we can bat for as long as possible
A bouncer from Siraj to Verreynne and that is a bad idea... the umpires quickly get together and say that is all the action we will see today.
STUMPS: 81.5 overs were bowled. Play has ended around the time we thought it would, but not bad over-rates from India. More importantly, a solid comeback in that last session with four wickets.
Tony de Zorzi was playing a little gem but a little gem of a delivery does him! Late in the day, running in for his 7th different spell, Siraj strikes with his first delivery with the second new ball. Wobble seam, just moves a tad bit away from the leftie and the ball kisses the outside edge. Rishabh still had a lot to do there, dives to his left to take a fine catch.
Tony de Zorzi c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Siraj 28 (59 balls)
He seems to be asking Pant if he has to come on to bowl yet another short spell. The answer seems to be yes... here's a look at Siraj's workload for the day.
The fourth umpire sprinted into the middle, he thought he was being called for the light meter. But he has to sprint back and get the 2nd ball which has now been handed to Bumrah.
Washy bowls a quick maiden over... and now India have a call to make. Do they take the 2nd new ball? It's gotten dark so presumably if Bumrah comes on to bowl, the umpires might decide to call stumps.
But here we go, the light mere is now in sight from the fourth umpire.
Bumrah comes into the attack... but not with the new ball. Continuing for now.
"Patience, Patience..." Rishabh Pant senses that this partnership is starting to frustrate his teammates. Senuran plays a lovely short-arm jab off Siraj for a four behind square. Superb timing on that! There was a four for De Zorzi as well at the start of that over. The partnership is now up to 41 at just under 4 an over.
We are one over away from the second new ball being available as darkness starts to fall...
Oh, have India missed a trick there? That looks really close, Washington is doing the celebrappeal. But eventually India decide not to review. And UltraEdge shows an inside edge. Real-time that looked close. Nice delivery from Washy though beating left-hander on the inside edge.
Siraj and Washington bowling in tandem here... Siraj as he always does, still running in hard towards the end of the day's play. Produces a peach beat De Zorzi outside offstump and then a bouncer that Pant does superbly to gather with his right hand with a full leap. Some good ol' fast bowling here late on.
SA 225/5 after 75 overs
Takes on Kuldeep Yadav, a short ball put away beyond the midwicket by some distance! De Zorzi then helps himself to a lovely four off a square drive, got to the pitch so the wrong 'un didn't have the impact.
We do have some pace to finish the day, Siraj into the attack. De Zorzi having a chat with the umpire though.
The pitch is now pretty much covered in shadows. The sun is setting. We are done with pacers bowling for the day at this point one imagines, but not long left in the day's play you'd imagine and we have only ticked past the 70-over milestone. Kuldeep with a half-chance against the new batter Senuran Muthusamy.
MEANWHILE IN PERTH: AUSTRALIA HAVE CANTERED TO A 8-WICKET WIN BEFORE STUMPS ON DAY 2!
Washington into the attack and de Zorzi helps himself to a four with a sweep behind the wicket.
Meanwhile in Perth, Head falls after a SENSATIONAL century and Australia are just 13 runs away from a remarkable win within 2 days.
South Africa: 206/5 after 69 overs (DRINKS)
There's still ample sunshine but the floodlights have come on an hour earlier than the previous two days here.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
"Play the patience game," says a miffed Dale Steyn on air as Mulder walks back. Kuldeep has struck again. It felt like Mulder had walked out in a counterpunching mood and he tries to go big, but only finds the fielder at mid off. Didn't get close enough to the pitch of the ball there. Three wickets in the session already for India.
Wiaan Mulder c Yashasvi Jaiswal b Kuldeep Yadav 13 (18 balls)
Siraj into the attack. Softer ball. Not much reverse happening. Late in the day. So Mulder decides to attack. Two gorgeous extra cover drives for fours! It was there to be hit but hit he did with elegance. Siraj with a typical fast bowler reaction to bounce him, but that is a good over for South Africa.
STUBBS GONE AND INDIA ARE BACK IN THIS! The good old cliche that add two wickets to the score and see where a team stands... suddenly with both set batters dismissed post lunch, India are back in this. Stubbs had been playing with a lot of discipline during his knock but that's a poor decision. Goes with hard hands to one that Kuldeep floated outside off. KL Rahul makes no mistake this time. Sharp catch to his right at first slip.
Tristan Stubbs c KL Rahul b Kuldeep Yadav 49 (112 balls)
Oh, that was close! A low full toss from Bumrah and de Zorzi nearly clips it to Jadeja at short mid-on. That was inches away from carrying to India's best fielder. For a moment, it looked like it was taken too. A boundary for de Zorzi too in that over, square driven past point.
The shadows, meanwhile, are starting to lengthen. Kuldeep comes in.
Tony De Zorzi is the new batter who has walked in for South Africa. He has been in good form and scored some runs on docile Pakistan wickets. And the pitch today here has been quite flat, and the onus is on him to fill his belly. One thing South Africans definetly do, which might have been a tad bit missing from the morning, is take their chance and pick their bowlers as none of the bowlers are able to extract any sort of help from this wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja has got the breakthrough here. Temba Bavuma tried to play a shot through the covers and ended up giving the catch to the fielder over there. That is a timely breakthrough for India, just after the break. It was a bit of a soft dismissal from Bavuma after doing all the hard work. That is a third batter from South Africa who has got himself a start and lost his wicket. This is a good pitch this one the South African batters who get in need convert the starts into big scores.
It is Jasprit Bumrah who has started the session with the ball for India. He has been quite economical today but did not have a lot to work with. The wicket was a bit damp in the morning, but as the day went the conditions got better and better for batting. Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs have batted quite nicely here. They have absorbed everything thrown at them and tired the Indian bowlers. The good part of this wicket is the batters can continue to trust their defence.
India does need to pick a few wickets here, don't they? After losing the first Test, they needed a solid performance here but it seems like it is South Africa who are carrying their positive momentum into this contest. It will be intresting to see how India will look to pick wickets in the session do stay with us for all the updates.
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
In the first Test match against England in January 2024, Rohit Sharma’s team fielded three spin all-rounders on a dry surface in Hyderabad. England won the match by 28 runs after which India went back to their tried-and-tested template when facing visiting teams at home — true bounce, progressive spin and a bowling composition that didn’t overcomplicate itself; two seamers, a specialist tweaker and two world-class spin all-rounders. Bouncing back after the loss in the first Test, India won the series 4-1 with a simple fallback.
India still have similar resources to replenish the order, but it is unlikely to be the federal response from the Gautam Gambhir-coached unit in the second Test against South Africa at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati starting Saturday. (Read more from lalith kalidas)
Bavuma and Stubbs got together in the first over of this session after Kuldeep got Rickleton and they walk back together unbeaten. Apart from a couple of edgy moments, nothing much troubled them in this phase of play.
74 runs off 28.1 overs and just one wicket lost in that session. Slow going but steady from South Africa.
Washington gets through his over quickly enough and India will get one more over before lunch...
...we saw this in England this year didn't we? Washy was at the other end of the equation then and got a wicket if we recall.
Anyway, here we go with Siraj to bowl the last over of the session.
India have a coupe of midwickets in place now, another sign perhaps that they are already seeing some reverse (not too evident for us at the moment) or expecting it to happen soon.
SA cross 150 after 53 overs.
Time for Washington Sundar to close out the session...
...or maybe there is time for one more.
Oh... was that close? No, no, Bumrah realises it right away. Goes for a booming yorker to Stubbs but the ball has moved a bit too much (was that reverse?) and missing leg stump. No review taken rightly.
Maybe a couple of overs left in the session.
A collision between Stubbs and Siraj mid-pitch. Stubbs was looking to change the direction but Siraj held his ground and the two collided from the back. Siraj seems to have come worse off as he is going down holding his left knee. But after some treatment, he is back to continue.
Siraj joins Bumrah from the other end. Perhaps India sense the ball might start to reverse? Hasn't been any evidence of it so far.
Bumrah nearly breaks through! A short of length ball to Bavuma, it takes the inside edge goes on to the back leg and nearly trickles on to the stumps but in the end bounces JUST OVER. South Africa did manage to get a boundary each in the last couple of overs, through the leg side on both occasions.
Meanwhile in Perth, three innings done... 30 wickets have fallen before Day 2 ends. Target for Australia is 205.
An interesting stat as Bumrah bowls a maiden over on his return to the attack. And understandable one too, about how a much higher percentage of his dismissals at home are through LBW & bowled.
Meanwhile, Pollock on the one thing he'd love to take from Bumrah's Arsenal: 'I'd love to have that hyperextension that makes his action closer to the batter than others, and the snap of the wrist to go with it'
With a lot of talk about how many overs will be possible in Guwahati over the next four or five days, India are going at an over rate of around 15 at the moment. Thanks largely to Jadeja of course.
Bowling change... Bumrah comes in, as India are looking for a breakthrough.
SA 136/2 after 47 overs
India like it. Jadeja likes it. Pant likes it too. The captain imediately goes for a review as Bavuma misses a sweep off Jadeja. It usually is bad news for the batters when they miss a sweep off Jadeja. But the Indians are stunned as DRS shows the ball is missing leg stump! Visible gasps. Not even umpire's call, rather surprisingly.
Stubbs promoted to No 3 and the ever-reliable Bavuma at No 4 have brought up their 50-run stand as Jadeja rushes through another over (perhaps too much as he oversteps off the last ball).
Meanwhile some banter in the commentary box:
Pollock to DK: "You have played for every IPL Team ?"
DK: Every team but CSK
Pollock: Why did CSK never want you?
DK: It's a sore point in my life! (laughs)
He has been threatening to do this for a while but was defending it off after coming down the track. This time Stubbs gets to the pitch of the ball from Kuldeep and hits over the long on fielder for six. Rishabh Pant meanwhile keeping things entertaining as ever from behind the stumps. A tease here and there for Stubbs, his former DC teammate.
DRINKS BREAK: SA 129/2 after 42 overs
As Bavuma looks good for another substantial innings with the bat on a pitch that looks increasingly easy for batting, a reminder of his sensational start to life as Test captain. 11 Tests without a defeat so far.
There was turn and bounce in the first session but that seems to have gone out of the window with presumably the heat drying out the residual moisture that DK was talking about. Kuldeep Yadav replaces Jadeja (correction: it is a change of ends for Jadeja).
Siraj tests Bavuma with another bouncer. It is well directed and the glove comes off for Bavuma as he went for a pull. He wasn't in control. But India have just one fielder in the deep for that shot and it goes behind square for four. Then he replies with a stunning backfoot punch for back-to-back fours.
The SA skipper is up and running here.
SA 113/2 after 37 overs.
A good over from Siraj to Bavuma. First a wobble seam delivery that nips back and hits the SA skipper on the elbow and then a bouncer that Bavuma does well to sway away from. Bavuma finishes the over with a rock-solid backfoot defence. Good cricket all around, as Ravi Shastri said.
SA: 103/2 after 35 overs
Just a short spell from Kuldeep Yadav after tea, as Ravindra Jadeja comes on for the first time today. And as ever a lightning quick over. The longer Jadeja bowls today, the more overs India can sneak in before light drops around 4 pm.
From Bumrah's end, it is Siraj now as India stick to pace+spin to start this session.
Meanwhile, Bumrah's figures read a ridiculous: 9-4-12-1
Siraj starts off with a gift on Stubbs' pads. Goes for four... leg byes given.
Bavuma reads the wrong 'un from Kuldeep and goes for a lofted off drive that is well hit for four. But Rishabh tells his bowler to stick to his guns, and Kuldeep repeats the delivery but pulls the length back a bit. The edge is found but the ball falls just short of a diving KL Rahul at first slip. Good effort from the fielder this time but not to be.
Lovely. Temba Bavuma got a standing ovation at Eden Gardens after scoring the only half century in that Test. And today, it looks like he walked out to an ovation from Guwhati crowd as well.
Wicket in the last ball of the first session, and a wicket in the first over of the second session. Kuldeep Yadav floats one up, and gets it to turn away from Rickleton who is tempted to go for the drive. A thin edge and Rishabh takes a really good low catch, that wasn't so easy as he made it look.
From 82/0 to 82/2, SA have lost both their openers!
Ryan Rickelton c Rishabh Pant b Kuldeep Yadav 35 (82 balls)
Interesting. It's not just India moving their No 3 around. Tristan Stubbs has walked out at No 3 for South Africa in Guwahati, after Wiaan Mulder had that role in Kolkata.
Who else to lead the hosts to that famous cup of Assam chai but Bumrah! Was an interesting call to bring him back for the last over before Tea, especially when the pitch was offering some turn with the sun overhead (yes it gets pretty warm around here by 10:30 am onwards). Bumrah's opening spell could have had Markram for four if not for Rahul's silly early morning spill in the slips. There was a bit of dampness then in the pitch that restricted the bounce but it's gotten a lot more truer now on the fuller lengths. Markram will rue that shot then especially when he'd fended off Bumrah's other length deliveries pretty neatly in the over. Rahul's happy as he is the first one to join Bumrah for a celebration before the break.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
So after tea, play set to resume in Guwahati.
Meanwhile in Perth, the wickets continue to tumble. England are down to 85/5 in the 2nd session of Day 2, 25 wickets have fallen already.
Comes in for one over and strikes! KL Rahul is the first to run and hug him (as he had dropped Markram on 4) as the genius pacer gets one through Aiden Markram's defence. This is fuller than most balls he has bowled today, Markram tempted to go for the drive, but can only get an inside edge and is bowled.
Just Jasprit Bumrah things!
END OF FIRST SESSION: SA 82/1
Possibly the last over before lunch.... scratch that, tea...
So Bumrah gets a go from Kuldeep's end.
Kuldeep was really confident with that appeal, and Rishabh did well to resist the temptation. The ball did bounce above the stumps.
PIN, DROP, SILENCE. Half volley from Washy and Markram just stands and delivers. Not a single fielder moved, not a sound drom the stands. Four.
Start of next over, Rickleton dances down the ground and hits Kuldeep past mid on for a four. But Kuldeep responds with one that turns and bounces again. South Africa doing well to leave / miss these. A big appeal for LBW from Kuldeep against Rickleton as he gets one to slide on quicker. PAnt doesn't feel it is worth a review though and he might be right, looked to be bouncing a bit much.
We will know soon.
That is a very interesting over from Washy! Gets one to turn and bounce significantly from outside off stump, hits Markram on the thigh pad. Then later in the over, gets one to slide through and beat the outside edge from almost same area on the pitch! "Residual moisture helping the Indian spinners," says Dinesh Karthik on air.
Let's see how long this continues. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was just heard saying a while back for his teammates to show better body language.
SA 60/0 after 21 overs.
"Washy, yours only yaar..." says Rishabh Pant as the bowler doesn't do enough to save the single off the last ball of what should have been a maiden over.
And yes, it is spin from both ends now as Kuldeep Yadav comes into the attack.
SA 59/0 after 18 overs.
Nitish Kumar Reddy bowls India's first real loose over of the morning. A gift on Markram's hips tucked away for four. The opener then plays a regal cover drive for four past extra. STUNNING SHOT.
You imagine that will be all from Nitish for now.
Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy bowling in tandem now around the 15-over mark.
One of them didn't play in Kolkata and the other bowled just one over.
You have to wonder about India's tactics sometimes.
Washington has a short leg in place for Markram and gully for Rickleton, which is nice to see.
SA 49/0 after 16 overs
Oh, that's an interesting first over from Washington Sundar. Floats one offside off that Rickleton throws his bat at, gets a sreaky outside edge for four. And then the over ends with turn and bounce. The commentators were just speaking about if there is seam movement on a pitch early on, generally there will be help for spinners too.
Meanwhile, start of next over, an outside edge from Markram off Nitish, but falls well short of SaiSu at the first slip.
After barely getting a look in at Eden Gardens, Washington Sundar is the first spinner to come on to bowl in Guwahati... just another day in Indian cricket.
So Bumrah's first spell comes to a close. Nitish comes on from his end.
Oh well, you wait so long for one and then two come along in quick succession. Rickleton has waited till the end of the first hour for his first boundary but he gets two off two against Siraj. The first one a bit streaky through the slip cordon but nothig streaky about the straight drive after that.
DRINKS: SA 34/0 after 12 overs
As Bumrah bowls another tight maiden over, the commentators are taking a few looks at the dropped catch by KL Rahul at second slip when he was batting on 4. That was apparently the quickest ball Bumrah has bowled so far today at 142.5 kph. It travelled quickly to Rahul but he just overshot it to his left, really no excuse for dropping that.
Meanwhile, strangely, just the one over for Nitish and Siraj is back into the attack. Hard to make sense of that.
SA 26/0 after 11 overs
Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Siraj.
Meanwhile, some funny moments as RAbada carries out the gloves for Markram and drops them a couple of times while running on and off the pitch. Steyn having some laugh in the commentary box at his former teammates' expense.
Siraj offers Markram a gift, after Rahul's dropped catch in the previous over. On the pads and easy boundary. The movement is not that pronounced any longer. The early threat is starting to wane..
SA 22/0 after 8 overs
That is an absolute clanger from KL Rahul. Usually a safe pair of hands, but he puts down a sitter at second slip, moving to his left. And the usually expressionless Bumrah is beside with disappointment. This does not look like a pitch where there would be too many of thse chances created. That is poor from Rahul, brilliant delivery from Bumrah to Markram goes begging. The opener had only just gotten off the mark with a punch for four previosuly.
SA 17/0 after 7 overs
There is a short midwicket in place for Siraj already with the third slip coming off as the pacer is moving the ball back into Rickleton. Bumrah meanwhile has three slips in place as he keeps probing Markram with the fourth-stump channel mixed up with ones on the stumps.
"Not one shot played with authority yet," says Pollock on air. One of those give-the-first-hour-to-the-bowler kinda pitches.
SA 12/0 after 5 overs
Shaun Pollock called very early that the carry might be not that great on this pitch and the slip+gully should move in a touch. And Rickleton is squared up by a Bumrah delivery that falls short of Jurel at third slip. That is followed by a half run-out chance. There is definite movement on offer early on, so South Africa openers being watchful.
SA 10/0 after 3 overs
More delay as there is some sightscreen issue again before the third over.. two overs lost potentially already.
Rishabh Pant's first match as Test captain has started with EIGHT BYES against his name. Siraj's turn to spray the ball down the leg side, and again it is so far away from Pant, goes for four. A half a chance in that over as Rickleton flicks one uppishly but it falls short of a diving Nitish.
SA 9/0 after 2 overs
A STUNNER FROM STARC! Another first-over wicket but this time a stunning catch.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWHAT A RIDICULOUS TAKE! Mitchell Starc sends Zak Crawley off for a pair! #ashes | #playoftheday | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/1cg8PtLzx4
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025
After those four byes, another LBW appeal from Bumrah and India, but they don't review this after some consideration. Might have been another inside edge there as well but that was a top delivery from Bumrah.
SA 4/0 after 1 over
Bumrah starts off with two deliveries that seamed away and then brings one back in to Markram. Half an appeal, but there is an inside edge on that one. Not great carry early on but certainly some movement. Oh, Bumrah then gets one to move miles, keeps swinging away from Pant for four byes.
Jasprit Bumrah has the new red cherry in hand. There is a little delay already to start the proceedings on a day where there is little chance of getting 90 overs in.
South Africa's followed by India's...
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Toni De Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (C), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (C, WK), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Md Siraj
The Eden surface was a minefield; it prematurely cracked, crumbled, and had variable hardness. This was a wicket which had no exact doctrine to embrace. It was where the old cliche, stick to the strengths, rings the truest. Attackers had to attack; stonewallers had to stonewall. In-betweenism was bound to fail. The vile nature of the pitch would have invariably played in batsmen’s mind, as Indians stumbled into in-betweenism and failed. On an evil wicket, a batsman only sees the devils. A benign ball grows teeth, a boundary ball develops fangs, a routine good length ball sprouts wings, and the strip becomes a Loch Ness Monster. Batsmen, with jaundiced eyes, start seeing everything in yellow. It distorts the judgment, muddies perceptions, and makes batting look a more treacherous exercise than it actually is. But Gautam Gambhir’s observation that the strip was not unplayable was not entirely bereft of logic. “It might not be a wicket which is going to [allow you to] be very, very flamboyant, where you can play those big shots. But if you are willing to put your head down, definitely it's a wicket where you can score,” he would say. But not every wicket owed to the pitch tantrums, or the tricks it played in the batsmen’s minds. Imprudent shot selection, flawed judgment, and clumsy execution of strokes, both attacking and defensive, co-conspired in the Eden batting murder mystery.
How Kolkata pitch exposed Indian batsmen’s weakness of skill and temperament
The dreadlocked South African batsman Tony de Zorzi screamed “Sen”, and a dozen puzzled faces turned back at him. The intended recipient was Senuran Muthusamy, his teammate, his tongue-twisting first name abbreviated to “Sen”, which is a common surname in these parts too. His name, both full and crunched, has always provoked curiosity. In 2019, most of his only press conference was spent explaining the roots of his name. “My forefathers are from the south of India in Tamil Nadu, migrated several years ago,” he would start.
By the end of the interaction, he had answered every question about his Indian connection. “Do you speak Tamil?” “Do you practise Indian customs at home? “Do you still have relatives in India? Do you plan to visit them? “Do you see yourself as more Indian or South African?” He did not perform significantly well to avert their glances at his cricket either; he scored just 98 runs and grabbed two wickets in two Tests.
Meet Sen aka Senuran Muthsamy. By Sandip G
India had a lineup packed with lefties in Kolkata, but the number remains the name as basically Gill is replaced by Nitish. Axar replaced by another leftie in Sai Sudharsan. Interesting though that South Africa have gone for a third spinner and tinkered their balance on a pitch that might not turn as much as Kolkata.
TWO CHANGES FOR INDIA: Nitish Kumar Reddy comes in to add another right-hander, Sai Sudharsan comes in to replace Axar Patel. Will he bat at No 3? We will find out later.
ONE CHANGE FOR SA: Bosch misses out, Senuran Muthusamy comes in.
CHANGE IN CAPTAIN. NO CHANGE IN LUCK WITH THE TOSS!
Rishabh Pant spins the coin, and Temba Bavuma calls right.
Much brighter now, a possibly better wicket to bat on despite the stripes of grass. The pitch looks slightly on the darker side for a typical red soil surface, probably there's still a lot of moisture beneath.
Lalith Kalidas from Guwahati
It will be a proper Test wicket, the bowlers will have to work hard on Day 1. Red soil, it will last 4-5 days: Anil Kumble says on JioHotstar.
Marco Jansen has marked his run-up while Kagiso Rabada has a long pitch-side chat with Dewald Brevis. His replacement Lungi Ngidi has been doing the bulk of the bowling on the practice strip and could just well be in contention to make a return to the XI today.
Lalith Kalidas from Guwahati
A brilliant feature by Sandip G as we wait for toss and team news...
Forty thousand eyes stayed fixed on Temba Bavama for 40 seconds that felt like 40 hours. And Bavuma's were fixed on the ragged, discoloured ball, lost in the pale blue skies. He ran sideways, took a step to his left, then to his right, before he stationed under the ball to swallow the catch that would bring his team within a blow to winning the Test. The ball calmly dropped in his palms. Forty thousand eyes shut in despair. Bavuma blew a kiss into the skies. An hour later, he was asked to narrate the feeling that tossed in his mind when he ran for the catch.
“Well, nothing. Just to catch the ball. I didn’t have time for other thoughts!” With such a straight face and placid eyes, but humour ringing in his tone, that he had the hall in splits. Among contemporary captains, he is the doyen of deadpan humour. He is also the Iron Man of South Africa, the small man with a giant heart, as coach Shukri Conrad described, and arguably the most important South African cricketer since their reintroduction to the cricket field, a metaphor of his country’s socio-cultural transformation. Pouching the match-winning catch and grafting the match-turning knock were straightforward chores for a man who has worn heavier burdens. The first black batter to score a Test hundred, the first black captain, the first to steer them to the elusive shores of the world champions. The heavier the burden, the tougher he becomes. So he was not to drop the catch or get out feebly. Not for his life.
South Africa’s Iron Man with a giant heart, undefeated and unbroken, leads from the front at Eden Gardens for famous win
India's potential No 3 Sai Sudharsan said he was open to inverting the order of lunch and tea during the Guwahati Test because it hardly mattered. Beyond the tradition, the Indian batsman didn't seem to be bothered by a 9 a.m start and tea at 11, and lunch after the second session to accommodate early sunset timings of the North East hosting its biggest cricket match - a Test featuring world champions South Africa. Guwahati lucked out and landed a Test match and gets to watch Temba Bavuma's side alongside all the Team India superstars, including Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul. But the early sunrise and sunset timings have meant tweaking the lunch time, and pushing tea to later. Sai Sudharsan quipped it was no big deal. ""I don’t mind having tea before lunch, I already drink tea during lunch, so I’ll probably enjoy it. Of course, it’s new, but we’ll get used to it. It’s exciting to explore," he told JioStar’s ‘Follow The Blues’, speaking about the unique tea-before-lunch timing.
No surprises there perhaps. After Mohammed Siraj, it's Nitish Kumar Reddy who steps up to mark his run-up. Akash Deep continues to bowl on the practice strip with the white ball.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
In the land of 'Rhino, chai and Zubeen', cricket in whites strives for space
“The rhino, chai, and the late Zubeen Garg.” Arman Choudhary, the cab driver, fits the essence of his home state in three words as he puts his sunglasses on and steers the vehicle onto the highway from the Guwahati airport. "Jacket pehen ne ki mausam ab tak aaya nahin hai iss baar (it's still not time for the jackets this year).” Dismissing weather apps data, the early November sun is indeed warmer than expected. Even as digital hoardings at the airport terminal hosted Shubman Gill, Temba Bavuma, and the Freedom Trophy, Arman affirms that “football is still more popular” around these parts. One begins to get the drift after an hour and some 25 kilometres away. Cricket isn't a thing in an Indian city when people have no sight or sound of an international game, a historic Test in this regard. He might still be in the minority, but Rahul Das admits to being oblivious to the landmark India-South Africa clash, starting Saturday, just 10 minutes away from his grocery store. In the “Gateway to the Northeast”, two distinct variations of Hindi meet while striking up a conversation.
Unlike the previous two days here, the sunshine hasn't quite beamed into the stadium as yet. A round of white-ball bowling going on for offie Devdutt Padikkal from around the stumps and red-ball bowling for leggie Sai Sudharsan from over the wicket. If pre-match rituals are to be believed, the latter will return to the XI for Gill. Sai was one of the three to turn up for practice yesterday but did not bat and was seen shadow batting at the centre, as he did every time before making the XI during the England tour.
Photo: Lalith Kalidas
"Gateway to the North East," is what Guwahati is. And here's a reminder that the first ever (day) Test in this venue will have tea break first and lunch break later in the day.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsGuwahati welcomes the world! 👌
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 22, 2025
🎥 India's newest Test venue is ready for its debut in the 2⃣nd #indvsa Test 🏟️#teamindia | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/nT12k82NA2
Pant also said that he doesn’t wish to overthink about leading for the first time in Test cricket in Gill’s absence in Guwahati. He said that while he was honoured to lead the country in the match, the one-off game scenario was not ideal for him. "I don't want to overthink. We had a tough first Test, and we need to do whatever is required to win. One-off match is not the best scenario for a captain, but I am thankful to the BCCI for giving me this honour. Sometimes, if you think too much about a big occasion, it doesn't help,” the southpaw said. "I want to keep it a mixture of both. Being conventional helps, but thinking outside the box also works. It's all about balance. And yes, I definitely back my instincts," he added. One of the major talking points from the first Test at Kolkata was the pitch used for the match, which saw only one batter get to a 50+ score. Pant felt that the Guwahati wicket might be a better surface to bat on, even if it turned as the match progressed. “I think this wicket will play better. Definitely, it’s a better wicket to bat on. Obviously, it will eventually turn after a few days,” the southpaw said.
Rishabh Pant refused to reveal who would take Shubman Gill’s place for the second Test match against South Africa, starting in Guwahati on Saturday, adding that the incoming player was aware of featuring in the playing XI. Pant will lead India in the match after Gill was ruled out on Friday in a match which the hosts have to win to square the two-match series and avoid a second straight series loss to a SENA country at home. “We have taken into consideration [the problem of] having a lot of left-handers in the batting lineup. We will announce it tomorrow. We have taken it [the decision] because the person who’s going to play, he already knows he’s going to play,” he told reporters on Friday.
Dale Steyn has a long chat with his former teammate and India bowling coach, Morne Morkel. The SA team are yet to arrive while Washington Sundar and Akash Deep arrive from the India dugout to bowl on the practice pitch.
First sight of the pitch on match day morning. Temba Bavuma says his finally call on the XI will depend on what he sees on the strip today. Not a lot different from last evening but seems like the green on the pitch has lightened a bit. The weather is slightly muggier than the previous two mornings.
"I want to be someone who gives that freedom [to players] and I want players to learn and make the right decision for the team eventually. That's the real goal and obviously whatever my knowledge is, I am going to help them on the field [with it]."
"I think that the toss doesn't become too big a factor compared to what probably Kolkata was like. But in saying that, you know what, you want to win the toss, you know the advantage of batting on Day 1, Day 2, so I think that still becomes an advantage, but not such a deciding factor."
Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch/Lungi Ngidi, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel/Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Hello and welcome to our live blog of India taking on South Africa in the second Test. All eyes will be on the surface after what has happened in the first Test at Kolkata. It is going to be a fascinating day of cricket do stay with us for all the live updates.
“The rhino, chai, and the late Zubeen Garg.”
Arman Choudhary, the cab driver, fits the essence of his home state in three words as he puts his sunglasses on and steers the vehicle onto the highway from the Guwahati airport. “Jacket pehen ne ki mausam ab tak aaya nahin hai iss baar (it’s still not time for the jackets this year).” Dismissing weather apps data, the early November sun is indeed warmer than expected.
Even as digital hoardings at the airport terminal hosted Shubman Gill, Temba Bavuma, and the Freedom Trophy, Arman affirms that “football is still more popular” around these parts. One begins to get the drift after an hour and some 25 kilometres away.
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