Guwahati, Nov 24 (UNI) South Africa tightened their grip on the second Test as India stumbled to 102 for 4 at tea on Day 3, replying to the visitors’ first-innings 489 at the Barsapara Stadium.
Resuming on the overnight 9 for 0, India crawled to 50 in 18.5 overs, with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul surviving a disciplined South African attack. The pair also raised the 50-run stand off 114 balls.
Jaiswal, however, was the lone forceful presence, reaching his half-century off 85 balls with six fours and a six, drawing a standing ovation from the Guwahati crowd. India reached 65 for 1 at drinks after Rahul, who had looked solid, was dismissed for 22 when Keshav Maharaj induced an outside edge to Aiden Markram at slip.
South Africa’s spinners then seized control. Simon Harmer removed Jaiswal for 58 off 97 balls, stopping on the surface to force a low edge to Marco Jansen at short third. With both openers gone, India’s resistance weakened.
Sai Sudharsan showed sporadic fluency with boundaries off Maharaj and Harmer but perished for 15, brilliantly caught by Ryan Rickelton at mid-wicket off a mistimed pull. India slipped to 102 for 4 soon after as Dhruv Jurel fell for a 11-ball duck, miscuing a pull off Jansen to Maharaj at mid-on. The collapse unfolded within roughly an hour as South Africa’s pressure told.
Rishabh Pant briefly counter-attacked, launching Harmer for a straight six soon after arrival, but India remained under severe strain at tea, still 387 behind with Pant on 6 and Ravindra Jadeja yet to open his account.
Earlier, South Africa’s first-innings 489 continued to loom large, and with sharp turn already visible on Day 3, India face an uphill task to avoid a significant deficit.
