India’s batting woes deepened on Day 3 of the second Test as South Africa’s spin-pace attack ripped through the lineup, reducing the hosts to a precarious 174/7 at lunch. Trailing by 315 runs after South Africa’s mammoth 489, India faces an uphill battle to avoid an innings defeat in Guwahati’s maiden Test match.
Table of Contents
India vs South Africa : Day 3 Scorecard at Lunch
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| South Africa 1st Innings | 489 all out (151.1 overs) |
| India 1st Innings | 174/7 (67 overs) at Lunch |
| Current Deficit | 315 runs |
| Top Scorer (IND) | Yashasvi Jaiswal 58 (97 balls) |
| Best Partnership | Washington Sundar & Kuldeep Yadav (52* runs) |
| Destroyer-in-Chief | Marco Jansen 4 wickets |
| Venue | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati |
Jaiswal’s Valiant Fifty Goes in Vain
The morning session began with promise as KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal built a composed 50-run opening partnership, showing patience against South Africa’s quality attack. Jaiswal crafted a determined 58 off 97 balls, bringing up his thirteenth Test fifty with trademark attacking strokes that reminded fans of his Perth heroics.
However, once Simon Harmer broke through, India’s innings collapsed like a house of cards. The young opener’s dismissal triggered a catastrophic slide that saw India lose wickets in clusters, unable to build partnerships against relentless South African bowling.
Marco Jansen’s Four-Wicket Haul
Marco Jansen emerged as South Africa’s wrecker-in-chief, claiming four crucial wickets with his awkward bounce and accuracy. The left-arm seamer removed Rishabh Pant (7), Dhruv Jurel (0), Nitish Kumar Reddy (10), and Ravindra Jadeja (6) in devastating spells that left India reeling.
Pant’s brief stay ended when Jansen found the edge and Kyle Verreynne took a sharp catch behind the stumps, while Jadeja fell to a vicious lifter that hit his shoulder before popping into Harmer’s hands at second slip.
The dismissal of Nitish Kumar Reddy saw Aiden Markram pull off a brilliant full-length diving catch, showcasing South Africa’s exceptional fielding standards.
India’s Middle-Order Meltdown
After Jaiswal’s departure at 96/3, India lost four wickets for just 26 runs, completely surrendering momentum. KL Rahul (22), who looked solid during his partnership with Jaiswal, fell to Keshav Maharaj when a turning delivery found his edge.
Sai Sudharsan departed for 15 after showing initial promise, caught brilliantly by Ryan Rickelton at midwicket off Harmer’s bowling. Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant’s aggressive intent backfired as he managed just 7 off 8 balls before edging Jansen.
The horror show continued when Jurel bagged a golden duck, trapped by Jansen’s short-ball trap just before tea, leaving India in tatters at 122/7.
Sundar-Kuldeep Partnership Offers Hope
In a session dominated by South Africa, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav provided resistance with an unbeaten 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Sundar remained unbeaten on 33 while Kuldeep scratched his way to 14, showing grit and determination.
The pair batted sensibly, rotating strike and punishing loose deliveries to take India past 150. Their partnership became crucial in avoiding the follow-on target of 290, though with just three wickets remaining, the task looks monumental.
South Africa’s First-Innings Dominance
India’s struggles were set up by South Africa’s commanding 489 in their first innings. Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden Test century (109) and Marco Jansen’s explosive 93 off 91 balls powered the visitors to a position of strength.
The lower-order duo added 243 runs for the last four wickets, leaving Indian bowlers frustrated on what Kuldeep Yadav described as a “road.” Jansen’s innings featured a record seven sixes against India on Indian soil, completely changing the match dynamics.
Historic Context and Series Implications
This match marks Guwahati’s first-ever Test at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, but the occasion has been overshadowed by India’s batting fragility. Following their 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at home, India entered this Test as underdogs and now face the prospect of another series defeat.
No team has lost a Test in India after scoring as many as South Africa’s 489, giving the Proteas overwhelming statistical advantage. If they maintain this record, South Africa will inflict India’s second home-series loss in 12 months after going 12 years without any.
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Gambhir’s Tactics Under Scanner
Coach Gautam Gambhir faces mounting scrutiny after India’s latest batting collapse. With Shubman Gill ruled out due to neck spasm, Rishabh Pant’s elevation to stand-in captain hasn’t arrested the slide. India’s technical frailty against quality spin-pace combinations has been ruthlessly exposed in consecutive home series.
FAQs
Q1: Can India still avoid the follow-on in this Test match?
India needs to reach 290 to avoid the follow-on, requiring another 116 runs with just three wickets remaining (Bumrah, Siraj, and either Sundar or Kuldeep). While the Sundar-Kuldeep partnership offers hope, India faces an extremely challenging task with the tail exposed to South Africa’s quality attack.
Q2: What makes Marco Jansen so effective in Indian conditions?
Jansen’s effectiveness stems from his height (6’8″) generating awkward bounce on flat Indian pitches, his left-arm angle creating natural variation, and his ability to extract movement even from docile surfaces. His four-wicket haul on Day 3, including key dismissals of Pant, Jurel, Reddy, and Jadeja, showcased his versatility with both short-pitched bowling and fuller lengths that induced edges.
