Guwahati, India – Marco Jansen's powerful 93 with the bat and fiery spell with the ball have put South Africa in a commanding position against India in the second Test at Guwahati, following yet another batting collapse by the hosts.
South Africa's imposing first innings total of 489 was built around Senuran Muthusamy's maiden Test century (109) and a blistering 93 from Jansen. Jansen's innings, which came off just 91 balls, included six fours and seven sixes, equalling the record for the most sixes in a Test innings against India. He surpassed Viv Richards to become the visiting batter with the most sixes in a Test innings in India. Jansen came in when South Africa were 334/7 and India sensed a chance to wrap up the innings, frustrating the hosts with a flurry of boundaries.
India began Day 3 trailing by a massive 480 runs, and the onus was on the top order to deliver a strong response. Yashasvi Jaiswal reached his half-century, but India's innings soon began to unravel. After a 65-run opening partnership between Jaiswal and KL Rahul, the South African bowlers, led by Jansen and Simon Harmer, triggered a collapse that saw India lose quick wickets. From 95 for 1, India slumped to 122 for 7, showcasing "inept batting".
Jaiswal's dismissal for 58, caught by Jansen off Harmer, started the slide. Sai Sudharsan, replacing Shubman Gill, showed promise but fell for a single-digit score. Dhruv Jurel struggled and was dismissed for a duck. Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant's dismissal was described by Dale Steyn as a "brainfade shot".
Jansen further compounded India's woes by picking up the crucial wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Pant, effectively derailing any hopes of an Indian comeback. Jansen finished the day with four wickets.
The Indian bowlers struggled to contain the South African batsmen on Day 2, with all five bowlers delivering at least 25 overs each. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with four wickets. However, the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar failed to create much impact.
The South African innings was a story of disciplined batting and impactful partnerships. Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne put on 88 runs for the seventh wicket, while Muthusamy and Jansen added 97 for the ninth wicket.
With South Africa leading the two-match series 1-0 after a 30-run victory in Kolkata, India faces a daunting task to save the series. The pitch is expected to deteriorate, placing a premium on runs scored in the first two days. No team has lost a Test in India after scoring as many runs as South Africa's 489 in the first innings.
