
Guwahati: South Africa ended Day 2 of the ongoing India vs South Africa Test at Guwahati on Sunday in a commanding position. After posting 489 in the first innings, thanks to a maiden century from all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy and a hard-hitting 93 from pace bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen, they put India into bat after two days of hard toil on the field.
South Africa bowled 6.1 overs with India at 9-0 before stumps were called due to deteriorating light at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, with Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (unbeaten 7) and KL Rahul (unbeaten 2) at the crease.
The third session started with the visitors being 428-7, with Jansen at 51 and Muthusamy at 107.
Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was quick to provide India with a breakthrough as he dismissed Muthusamy by getting him caught at fine leg, ending his innings at 109 runs. After Muthusamy's wicket, Jansen accelerated his innings even further as he hit two sixes to Ravindra Jadeja in the very next over. He then hit a boundary and a six in Siuraj's next over as well.
While Jasprit Bumrah managed to scalp Simon Harmer's wicket to get South Africa down to nine wickets at 462, Jansen continued his aggressive play.
It was finally Kuldeep Yadav who took Jansen's wicket but before that, the South African all-rounder had already scored 93 runs and helped the visitors mount a mammoth 489 on the board in the first innings.
South Africa strengthened their control on Day 2 of the Guwahati Test, reaching 428-7 at the end of the second session and at Lunch, with Muthusamy unbeaten on 107 and Jansen on 51.
Resuming from 316-6 after Tea, Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne added valuable runs before Jadeja dismissed Verreynne for 45. Jansen then joined Muthusamy and immediately went on the attack, with both batters striking boundaries and sixes to put India under pressure. Muthusamy reached his century off 192 balls, becoming the third South African to score a Test hundred from No. 7 or lower against India, while Jansen brought up his fifty in 53 deliveries as the duo added an unbeaten 94-run stand by lunch.
Earlier in the day, South Africa enjoyed a dominant, wicketless first session on Day 2 of the Test, reaching 316-6 as Muthusamy (56*) and Verreynne (38*) frustrated India with a steady, patient partnership. The pair added 69 crucial runs after resuming on 247-6, with Muthusamy bringing up his third Test fifty. Earlier, strong contributions from the top and middle order on Day 1 had taken South Africa close to 250, despite wickets from Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.
Earlier, South Africa had been guided to 247-6 on Day 1 after useful contributions from Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma, and the openers, with Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj among the wickets for India.
Brief Scores: India 9-0 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 7, KL Rahul 2) vs South Africa 489-10 (Senuran Muthusamy 107, Marco Jansen 93; Kuldeep Yadav 4-115)