South Africa batted strongly and reached 247/6 at the end of Day 1 of the second Test at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Guwahati is the newest Test venue in India. The South African batters built important partnerships, while the Indian bowlers kept the scoring rate in check. Kuldeep Yadav (3/48) was the most successful Indian bowler. At stumps on Day 1, Senuran Muthusamy was unbeaten on 25, while Kyle Verreynne remained not out on 1.

India Force Risks From South Africa

India’s bowling strength showed even on this mostly flat track. South Africa, ahead in the series, had to push the scoring rate if they hoped to go beyond three an over. Whenever they tried, India struck.

Rishabh Pant, leading for the first time, could not change India’s poor toss record. They lost for the eighth time in nine Tests. However, Kuldeep Yadav once again proved why India rely on him when they bowl second on home soil. He took three wickets. Jasprit Bumrah backed him with superb control, finishing with figures of 17-6-38-1.

South Africa’s Starts, No Big Scores

South Africa’s deep batting order forced India to work hard throughout. Even at 201 for 5, they pushed back. Tony de Zorzi and Senuram Muthusamy added 45 for the sixth wicket. But Mohammed Siraj returned for a fiery spell with the old ball and removed de Zorzi just before stumps.

South Africa will regret that every batter got a start but none reached fifty — a repeat of their problem in Kolkata. However, Guwahati’s pitch was far friendlier for batting compared to the crumbling surface there.

Strong Opening Stand Ends at Tea

The pitch rewarded good technique but also kept bowlers interested. Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put on 82 for the first wicket — the highest stand of the series. Bumrah broke the partnership with the last ball before the tea break, unusually taken at 11 am because of the early sunrise in India’s easternmost Test venue.

Until that moment, the pair looked steady despite constant testing. Markram needed 17 balls to get off the mark and survived a drop by KL Rahul. Nitish Kumar Reddy, brought in as a specialist right-hand batter in a left-heavy order, bowled four expensive overs, but India’s spinners tightened things again.

Bumrah, excellent in his first spell, bowled fuller when recalled for one over before lunch. Markram, who had driven well earlier, stayed stuck on the crease and chopped on.

Kuldeep Strikes After Tea

Immediately after tea, Kuldeep removed Rickelton with a loose drive that produced a sharp deflection caught by Pant. India kept South Africa at roughly three an over till then.

Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs battled hard through the next session. The pitch was at its best, but India’s tight lines meant they added only 74 in 26.4 overs before lunch.

Intent Backfires

It’s unclear whether scoring rate came up during the break, but both Bavuma and Stubbs returned with more intent. Jadeja and Kuldeep used that aggression against them.

Bavuma tried to clear extra cover off Jadeja but mistimed to mid-off. Stubbs pushed hard at Kuldeep’s first ball of a new spell and edged to Rahul at slip. Soon after, Wiaan Mulder misread a tossed-up delivery and offered a simple catch to mid-off.

Siraj’s Late Burst and a Perfect New Ball

Siraj bowled an intense spell at de Zorzi and Muthusamy, but the old ball offered too little. With light fading, India took the second new ball two deliveries after it became available. It was a calculated risk, but Siraj delivered instantly.

His first ball shaped in the air like an inswinger to the left-hander, then nipped away off the pitch. De Zorzi edged it, visibly frustrated as he walked back. Four balls later, bad light ended play.

Brief Scorecard