The Guwahati Test is completely in the grip of South Africa. After gaining a lead of 288 runs in the first innings, South Africa declared its second innings at 260 runs. India now has a lofty target of 549 runs to draw the series. Tristan Stubbs scored the highest score of 94 runs for South Africa.

South Africa declared its innings at 260 runs for 5 wickets in the final session on the fourth day of the second Test being played in Guwahati. The visiting team had achieved a huge lead of 288 runs in the first innings. In such a situation, Team India got the target of 549 runs. Even if the Indian team draws this test match, the series will remain in the name of South Africa.

South Africa had scored 489 runs in its first innings, in response to which India was able to score only 201 runs. In this way, South Africa had gained a lead of 288 runs in the first innings and now by scoring 260 runs, it has given the target of 549 runs to Team India.

Tristan Stubbs missed a century

Tristan Stubbs was out after scoring 94 runs in 190 balls with the help of 9 fours and one six. As soon as he was out, South African captain Temba Bavuma declared the innings. India’s only success in the second session was in the form of Tony DiGeorge, who was out after scoring 49 runs. For India, Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets and Washington Sundar took one wicket.

South Africa’s main objective during the first two sessions was to ensure that India could not achieve the target in the fourth innings. Indian spinners were getting turn in the first session, but Georgi and Stubbs troubled the spinners by making a partnership of 101 runs in the second session. Stubbs and Georgie hit many sweep shots against the Indian spinners. Jadeja did not allow Georgi to complete his half-century by giving him out LBW.

Batting will not be easy in the fourth innings

After a certain time, it seemed from the expressions of the Indian fielders that they were waiting for the second session to end, after which the innings was expected to be declared. The way Jadeja and Washington are getting turn can be a matter of concern for the Indian batsmen. The pitch is now cracking and is likely to crack further as the game progresses, making it difficult for India to bat in the fourth innings.

For South Africa, openers Ryan Rickleton (35 runs on 64 balls) and Aiden Markram (29 runs on 84 balls) once again made a half-century partnership, but Jadeja dismissed both of them. Washington then dismissed captain Temba Bavuma (03), whose bouncing ball kissed the batsman’s gloves and went into the safe hands of Nitish Kumar Reddy standing in the leg slip. Whereas Viaan Mulder returned unbeaten after scoring 35 runs in 69 balls with the help of five fours.

Team India is in danger of defeat in the Guwahati Test. In response to South Africa’s 489 runs, the Indian team could score only 201 runs in its first innings. However, South Africa did not give follow-on to India. The visiting team has got a huge lead of 288 runs in the first innings.

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored the highest score of 58 runs for India. Whereas Washington Sundar played an inning of 48 runs. Apart from this, all the batsmen were flops. For South Africa, fast bowler Marco Yansen took the maximum of 6 wickets. Whereas spinner Simon Harmer got 3 wickets and Keshav Maharaj got one wicket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 runs in 97 balls) scored a half-century full of strokes, but a ball from Simon Harmer suddenly bounced, on which he made a mistake and was caught by Yansen. KL Rahul (22) was the first batsman to be out. He too was batting well during the 65-run partnership with Jaiswal, but it was two balls from Keshav Maharaj and Harmer that completely changed the course of the morning session.

There were not many flaws in the pitch and Jaiswal’s attractive stroke-play confirmed this. He repeatedly swept Harmer’s ball in length and also hit a six over cow corner off Maharaj’s ball. Even Rahul was scoring runs with ease at the other end, but a ball turning from Maharaj took the outside edge of his bat and went into the hands of Aiden Markram at first slip.

Sai Sudarshan (15)’s weakness of going on the backfoot against the spinners and failing in the process was once again exposed. As it happened against West Indies in Ahmedabad. Once again he went on the back foot to pull the ball from Harmer, but could not make the shot properly and Ryan Rickleton took the catch by diving at midwicket.

Dhruv Jurel (00) did not need to pull on Yanson’s ball just before tea. The ball did not come at the expected speed and the wrongly timed pull was converted into a catch by Maharaj.

The dismissal of captain Rishabh Pant (07) was the most disappointing, because he adopted an aggressive attitude when the team was in trouble. He was caught by the wicketkeeper while attempting an unnecessary shot on Yansen’s rising ball. After this, Yansen also showed the way to the pavilion to both all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (06) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (10) with his short pitch balls.

गुवाहाटी टेस्ट में पहले दिन का खेल खत्म होने तक दक्षिण अफ्रीका ने 6 विकेट के नुकसान पर 247 रन बना लिए हैं. दक्षिण अफ्रीका ने टॉस जीतकर पहले बल्लेबाजी चुनी थी. तीसरे सेशन में भारतीय टीम ने 81वें ओवर में नई गेंद ली थी, यह रणनीति कारगर भी रही क्योंकि अगले ही ओवर में मोहम्मद सिराज ने विकेट चटका दिया. अभी अफ्रीका के लिए सेनुरन मुथुस्वामी और काइल वेरेयिन क्रीज पर डटे हुए हैं.

दक्षिण अफ्रीका के लगभग सभी बल्लेबाजों को बैटिंग में अच्छी शुरुआत मिली, लेकिन कोई भी बड़ी पारी नहीं खेल पाया. एडन मार्करम और रायन रिकल्टन ने 82 रनों की सलामी साझेदारी की. मगर मार्करम और रिकल्टन, दोनों बल्लेबाज 3 गेंदों के भीतर आउट हो गए. इसके बाद टेम्बा बावुमा और ट्रिस्टन स्टब्स ने 84 रनों की पार्टनरशिप कर अपनी टीम को मजबूत स्थिति में ला खड़ा किया.

तीसरे सेशन में टीम इंडिया की वापसी

दूसरे सेशन तक दक्षिण अफ्रीका ने 2 विकेट के नुकसान पर 156 रन बना लिए थे. मगर तीसरे सेशन में भारतीय गेंदबाजों ने जोरदार वापसी की. तीसरे सेशन में 26.5 ओवर गेंदबाजी करते हुए 92 रन दिए और 3 बहुमूल्य विकेट भी चटकाए. जहां पहले 2 सेशन में भारतीय गेंदबाज सिर्फ 2 विकेट ले पाए थे, वहीं आखिरी सेशन में टीम ने 3 विकेट झटके. अब दूसरे दिन की सुबह भारतीय टीम दक्षिण अफ्रीका की पारी को 300 रनों से कम स्कोर पर समेटना चाहेगी.

कुलदीप यादव ने कुल 3 विकेट लिए. वो गुवाहाटी टेस्ट में पहले दिन भारत के सबसे सफल गेंदबाज रहे. उनके अलावा जसप्रीत बुमराह, मोहम्मद सिराज और रवींद्र जडेजा ने एक-एक विकेट लिया. बताते चलें कि गुवाहाटी का बारसपारा स्टेडियम पहली बार किसी टेस्ट मैच की मेजबानी कर रहा है. पहले दिन दक्षिण अफ्रीका के लिए सबसे ज्यादा रन बनाने वाले बल्लेबाज ट्रिस्टन स्टब्स रहे, जिन्होंने 49 रनों की पारी खेली.

यह भी पढ़ें:

ट्रेविस हेड ने अकेले पलट दी बाजी, ऑस्ट्रेलिया को एशेज सीरीज का पहला टेस्ट जिताया, इंग्लैंड ‘जीता’ हुआ मैच हारा