Guwahati, Nov 23 Thanks to Senuran Muthusamy’s composed 109 and Marco Jansen’s blistering 93, South Africa went from a precarious 247/6 overnight to posting 489 on day two’s play in the second Test against India here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
While Muthusamy showcased his ability to bat sensibly, a trait he had displayed in Rawalpindi and Chattogram before, to hit 109 – his first Test century laced with 10 fours and two sixes, Jansen hit a sparkling 93 and used his long levers well to smash six fours and seven sixes to put South Africa in a strong position of winning the match.
For India, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav finished with four wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two apiece. Simon Harmer was the only South African batter not to reach double figures in an otherwise commanding display for the Proteas.
The final session started with Mohammed Siraj providing India with the breakthrough they desperately needed when Muthusamy attempted a hook but failed to keep it down and was caught at fine leg, ending his career-best innings of 109 that had stabilised India since he came out to bat at 201/5.
Jansen kept dominating, launching two towering sixes off Ravindra Jadeja and hitting a four and a six off Siraj to push South Africa past 440, before Jasprit Bumrah ripped out Simon Harmer’s off-stump. Jansen persisted in finding boundaries and also partook in a resilient last wicket stand with Keshav Maharaj for 18 runs.
But he fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test hundred—chopping on to a Kuldeep Yadav googly for 93, but his innings included seven sixes, the joint‑highest tally in a knock for a lower‑order batter in India. With South Africa scoring more than any first-innings total to lose a Test in India, they have left themselves well-placed to push for a rare series win on Indian soil.
Brief Scores: South Africa 489 in 151.1 overs (Senuran Muthusamy 109, Marco Jansen 93; Kuldeep Yadav 4-115, Jasprit Bumrah 2-75) against India
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