The pitch at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium continued to play tricks. When India looked, it acted like a ‘road’. But when they started chasing after South Africa set them a target of 549 runs, things suddenly came alive. Fast bowler Marco Jansen hit Yashasvi Jaiswal on the toes with a bouncer that hit a good length before sending the highly-rated opener back to the hut, while Simon Harmer, an in-form off-spinner, found a gap between KL Rahul’s bat and pad wide enough to drive a truck through.
IND vs SA 2nd Test Day 4 | Scorecard
Jokes aside, India look sessions away from being whitewashed in a home Test series for the second time in as many years. Chasing 549, India were reeling at 27 for 2 after 15.5 overs at stumps on Day 4. Sai Sudharsan under pressure to retain his place in the XI and night watchman Kuldeep Yadav remained unbeaten after the early departures of Yashasvi and Rahul.
Stung in Kolkata and bruised in the first innings in Guwahati, the Indian batsmen – minus skipper Shubman Gill – do not seem to have the confidence to go all day against South Africa’s bowlers, who made much better use of the conditions. Jansen, who took six wickets in the first innings, opened his account again on Tuesday night, while Harmer found a sharp turn almost immediately.
No team in history has chased more than 418 of Test cricket and no team has chased more than 400 in the final innings in Asia. West Indies’ 418 for 7 against Australia at St John’s in 2003 remains the most successful chase in Test history
WAS THE SA TIME STATEMENT CORRECT?
South Africa looked cautious in their second innings, waiting for their lead to cross 500 before declaring for 260 for 5. Tristan Stubbs, who had started cautiously, switched gears as he neared a century but was given 94 at the start of the last over. It was only after Stubbs missed the milestone that captain Temba Bavuma signaled the declaration.
While some questioned whether South Africa were delaying their declaration unnecessarily, the Proteas seem confident of beating India in the final innings – and why wouldn’t they? India have not crossed 250 even once in this series. They were bowled out for 189 and 93 in the first Test on a bowler-friendly surface and their 201 in the first innings on a good pitch in Guwahati did not reflect the quality in their line-up. Several batsmen, including stand-in captain Rishabh Pant, dropped their wickets without showing the grit and composure the visitors displayed over the first two days.
“It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, it was more about timing. We had forty minutes after lunch,” Stubbs said when asked to explain the timing of South Africa’s declaration call.
It was disappointing to see India looking a little lethargic on the field and unable to put pressure on the South African batsmen in the second innings. Pant and his men started waiting for the declaration once the lead crossed 400.
India will now have to play out of their skins just to secure a draw on a pitch that has started to misbehave. Even a draw will not prevent them from losing the series.
With a fifth defeat in seven home Tests looming, India’s chances of making the Test World Cup final look increasingly bleak.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
November 25, 2025
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