Senuran Muthusamy showed his batting prowess while Kyle Verreynne was defiant in his approach as South Africa frustrated Indian bowling unit to reach 316 for six at tea on day two of the second Test in Guwahati on Sunday (November 23, 2025).

Left-hander Muthusamy (56 batting off 131 balls) looked solid in defense en route his third Test fifty and also added unbroken 70 runs for the seventh wicket with keeper-batter Verreynne (38 batting, 94 balls), who played some edgy shots but then settled down nicely over the course of time.

The Proteas took heavy roller in the morning which indicates that initially it would play well and then quickly start crumbling by the start of the third day.

The Barsapara track became a quintessential 22 yards from the throwback era where it flattened out considerably making India’s two finger spinners Washington Sundar (0/45 in 21 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/47 in 18 overs) look pedestrian through the second morning.

What became a problem for the finger spinners was lack of zip off the surface making it comfortable for the batters.

Muthusamy defended well on the front-foot and also played some flowing drives.

It is not known whether Indian team management and their data analyst had done any homework on Muthusamy, who as recently as second Test in the preceding series against Pakistan scored 89 not out in a winning cause and enjoys an average of 46 plus in the traditional format.

He did survive by going for DRS when he was adjudged leg before off Jadeja’s bowling as the TV replays showed that the ball had touched the gloves.

The best chance for India after Verreynne and Muthusamy cautiously saw out Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s first spell was Kuldeep Yadav’s variations on a slow and unresponsive deck.

But unlike first day, Kuldeep wasn’t getting the drift in his first spell of five overs and Pant replaced him with Washington, who was rendered ineffective from the start.

Scoreboard

South Africa 1st innings: Aiden Markram b Bumrah 38 Ryan Rickelton c Pant b Kuldeep 35 Tristan Stubbs c Rahul b Kuldeep 49 Temba Bavuma c Jaiswal b Jadeja 41 Tony de Zorzi c Pant b Siraj 28 Wiaan Mulder c Jaiswal b Kuldeep 13 Senuran Muthusamy not out 50 Kyle Verreynne not out 38 Extras: 18 (b-8, lb-7, nb-3)

Total: 316/6 in 111 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-82, 3-166, 4-187, 5-201, 6-246

Indian bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 22-9-43-1, Mohammed Siraj 23-4-73-1, Nitish Kumar Reddy 4-0-21-0, Washington Sundar 21-4-45-0, Kuldeep Yadav 23-4-72-3, Ravindra Jadeja 18-2-47-1.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed delight that Guwahati made its debut as the newest test center on Saturday (November 22, 2025) as India took on South Africa in the second and final game of the two-match series.

He said this will inspire youngsters and fuel their ambitions.

“This moment will inspire countless young talents and elevate our sporting ambitions even higher. Onward to a new innings for Assam!” he added.

Guwahati, known as the ‘Gateway to the North East’, is the only International Cricket venue in the region and had earned the distinction of hosting ICC World Cup matches for the first time earlier this year.

The rationale from the powers that be for expanding the number of Test centres in India is to give fans across the country a chance to experience the joy of the purest form of the game.

On Saturday (November 22, 2025), as Guwahati’s ACA Stadium became the country’s 30th Test venue with India taking on South Africa in the second and final match of the series, fans were treated to an engrossing day of Test cricket that had all the ebbs and flows one expects in this format.

Electing to bat, the visitors finished on 247 for six after having had a firm grip on proceedings for two-thirds of the day before Rishabh Pant’s men, led by Kuldeep Yadav (three for 48), fought back in the final phase, taking four wickets.

As expected with an early start (9 a.m.), there was a bit of assistance for the pacers, and Jasprit Bumrah was right on the money, pinning Aiden Markram down at one end.

The pace spearhead was probing around off-stump, and Markram was like a cat on a hot tin roof, testing both edges of the bat. The South African opener took 17 balls to open his account, punching Bumrah through the covers for a boundary and got a reprieve the very next ball when K.L. Rahul dropped a simple catch at second slip.

Post drinks, as the conditions eased, Markram and Ryan Rickelton were able to get a move on, finding boundaries easily. Rickelton hit Mohammed Siraj for consecutive boundaries, one past third-man, followed by a confident punch down the ground.

Just as it seemed the WTC champion would go to tea without losing a wicket, Bumrah provided the breakthrough when he had Markram playing on. The opener managed just five runs from 35 balls against the pacer, illustrating his struggle.

Immediately after the break, Kuldeep made it a double-strike when he had Rickelton caught behind. Skipper Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs then got the innings back on track through their 84-run alliance for the third wicket. Against some tight bowling from the Indian tweakers on a surface that offered a degree of turn and bounce, both batters looked in control, having clear plans and took their side to 156 for two at lunch.

Stubbs used his feet against the spinners to disrupt their lengths and lofted Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja for maximums over the sightscreen.

However, in the final session, the Indian spinners got into the action, inducing false shots from the Proteas batters, none of whom converted their starts. Bavuma tried to take on Jadeja and was caught at mid-off. Kuldeep then foxed Stubbs one short of his half-century by throwing a wide one, only for the batter to poke hard and edge it to Rahul in the cordon. The left-arm wrist spinner then foxed Wian Mulder as well with a delivery that dipped and had him caught at mid-off trying to go for a booming drive.

In the final over of the day, Siraj struck with the second new ball, removing Tony de Zorzi, caught behind and ensured the hosts got their noses ahead.

South Africa will be without Kagiso Rabada for the second and final test against India in Guwahati after the fast bowler failed to recover from a rib injury.

Rabada missed South Africa’s 30-run victory in the first test at Eden Gardens after sustaining a rib bone stress injury in training ahead of the game and will not be ready for the start of the second test on Saturday (November 22, 2025).

IND vs SA | Test specialists: is Team India missing the forest for the trees?

South Africa had called up seamer Lungi Ngidi earlier this week in anticipation of Rabada’s absence and he will be in contention to play.

“We will finalise the starting 11 tomorrow when we have had a look at the wicket, but it looks a little bit fresher than Kolkata with a bit more grass on the wicket, so that suggests it will play a bit better,” captain Temba Bavuma told reporters on Friday (November 21).

“It will be more of a traditional sub-continent wicket, good for batting in the first few days and then the spinners will come into it,” he added.

“The first innings becomes crucial from a batting point of view to really set the game up. You always want to win the toss; you know the advantage of batting on day one and two.”

Bavuma said there would be no thoughts of playing for a draw to claim the series win.

“Any test you play you want to win, and it is no different here. We want to play from the front and not try protecting the lead we have,” he said.

Rabada will also miss the three one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches against India that follow the test series as he begins a four-week rehabilitation programme.

India announced on Friday (November 21) that they will be without captain Shubman Gill for the second test.

Shubman Gill has been released from the India squad ahead of the second Test match against South Africa starting on Saturday (November 22, 2025).

The skipper suffered a neck injury on the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, and was taken to the hospital for examination after the day’s play. He was kept under observation and discharged the next day. ‘He travelled to Guwahati on Wednesday (November 19, 2025) but didn’t train.

On Friday (November 21, 2025), he was ruled out of the final match of the series.

The BCCI, in a statement, added, “he will head to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury.”

The skipper faced just three balls in India’s first innings before he retired hurt in the match that India lost by 30 runs. Rishabh Pant will lead India in Gill’s absence in the second Test.

It is a must-win game for India if it hopes to avoid a second series defeat on home soil in 12 months. Last year, India lost to New Zealand 0-3, which was the first Test series defeat at home since 2012.