Guwahati, India - India's batting lineup suffered a dramatic collapse on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, triggered by a combination of Marco Jansen's aggressive short-ball tactics and a stunning catch by Aiden Markram. The hosts, in pursuit of South Africa's imposing first-innings total of 489, found themselves reeling at 102/4 by tea, after losing three wickets for just seven runs in a frenetic passage of play.
The day began with cautious optimism as overnight batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul rotated the strike well, building a composed opening stand. Jaiswal reached his half-century off 85 balls, striking six boundaries and a six. However, Rahul's discomfort against the turning ball eventually cost him, edging a delivery from Keshav Maharaj to first slip for 22.
Sai Sudharsan, batting at No. 3, showed early promise with a boundary but fell soon after for a single-digit score. Jaiswal's dismissal for 58 then triggered a more significant collapse. The opener attempted a cheeky late cut off Simon Harmer, but the ball held up and turned, taking the leading edge, and Marco Jansen dived forward to take a sharp, low catch at backward point.
The South African spinners, Harmer and Maharaj, had already started to apply pressure, exploiting the slow nature of the pitch. Harmer removed Jaiswal and Sudharsan, while Maharaj accounted for Rahul.
However, it was Marco Jansen's introduction that truly rattled the Indian middle order. The left-arm quick extracted steep bounce, unsettling the batsmen. Nitish Kumar Reddy, playing his first match of the series, was the victim of one such delivery.
Jansen bowled a vicious short ball that Reddy could only fend awkwardly off the shoulder of his bat. The ball ballooned towards the gully region, where Aiden Markram, stationed at second slip, launched himself full-length to his right. In a moment of sheer athleticism, Markram plucked the ball one-handed in mid-air, sending the South African team into a frenzy of celebration.
Reddy departed for 10, leaving India in deep trouble at 119/6. Jansen continued to wreak havoc, later dismissing Ravindra Jadeja. A short delivery brushed Jadeja's shoulder, deflected onto the bat, and looped to Simon Harmer in the slips. Earlier, Jansen had also removed captain Rishabh Pant, further compounding India's woes. Dhruv Jurel also fell to a short delivery from Jansen, pulling the ball to Maharaj at mid-on for a duck.
At the चाय break, India were 102/4, still trailing by a massive 387 runs. The post-tea session would be crucial for India to mount a fightback and avoid the follow-on. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were left with the daunting task of rebuilding the innings against a South African attack riding high on momentum. Markram's catch, however, will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most spectacular moments of the series, a testament to his athleticism and a turning point in the match.
