A wayward spell in the second T20I at New Chandigarh, which included a worrying nine wides, turned out to be a blip. The best of Arshdeep Singh was back on view on Sunday, setting the tone for a dominant Indian win.

Arshdeep was near unplayable in the third T20I here, landing his seamers on a dime. Under helpful conditions at the picturesque HPCA Stadium, the left-arm pacer trapped Reeza Hendricks in front of the wicket in the first over and then kept Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis guessing with deliveries which darted away from a good length.

Arshdeep found the ideal new-ball partner in Harshit Rana. Harshit’s heavy ball kept the South Africans on the back foot, and when he pitched one up to Brevis, the feet went nowhere and an airy drive was chopped back onto the stumps.

Arshdeep and Harshit bowled three overs each to complete a tight PowerPlay, leaving the Proteas shackled on 25 for three.

Arshdeep’s reputation as a death-over specialist came to the fore when he deceived Markram in the 19th over. Markram, who in the previous over had hit Harshit for two sixes, could not get into a good power stance when Arshdeep cleverly changed the line to well outside off.

Arshdeep and Harshit’s good show made up for the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who returned home for personal reasons.

The 26-year-old Arshdeep indulged in some friendly banter with bowling coach Morne Morkel, who received unwanted attention during Arshdeep’s poor performance at New Chandigarh.

“After the last game, he (Morkel) told me that I gave him a lot of screen time. This is because every time I bowled a wide, the television cameras turned to the bowling coach, giving the impression that he gave me wrong plans or he did not have practice sessions with me. So I would like to apologise to Morne. I’ll try to minimise his screen time from now on,” Arshdeep told BCCI.tv.

Harshit, whose selection in the Indian team is often questioned by pundits, made the most of his chance. Playing his first game of the series, Harshit reaped the rewards of Arshdeep creating pressure at the other end.

Varun Chakaravarthy served another reminder of his class. The top-ranked T20I bowler in the world, Varun stuck to his stump-to-stump formula to great effect.

With Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav chipping in with wickets, it was a perfect night out for the Indian bowling attack.

While the side awaits the return of spearhead Bumrah, this crew is more than capable of holding fort.

The last thing a team needs is to fret over its skipper and vice-captain’s waning returns. Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill’s lack of runs has put India in that predicament.

The 35-year-old has just 201 T20I runs in 2025 at an average of 14.35. The 126.41 strike rate after 17 innings in the year suggests that SKY is struggling to take off like he used to.

Gill’s performance, after replacing Sanju Samson as the Men in Blue’s T20I opener, has been a let-down. The 26-year-old’s 263-run haul after 14 outings (23.9 average, 142.93 strike rate) does not do justice to the trust placed in him.

Gill (four runs) and Suryakumar (17) have not got going in the first two T20Is against South Africa as well.

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, however, “has got absolute faith” in them returning to form, adding that he wants the duo to shut out the noise and bat positively.

“We are quite far down the road now with our planning [on leadership roles] and how we have set the team up. You should back quality players and quality leaders like that. I can understand from the outside that it looks like a concern, but I have absolute faith in them coming good at the right time,” ten Doeschate said after India’s 51-run loss, its second-biggest in T20Is in terms of runs, in the second T20I at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium on Thursday (December 11, 2025).

He feels Gill, India’s Test and ODI skipper, should not take the extra pressure of trying to justify his place in the T20I side.

“An element of his Test captaincy [in England] and how much pride he took in that performance carried over into what he wanted to do in the T20 side. So if anything, he was too caring and maybe a little bit too tight. The talks were around relinquishing that responsibility, certainly in that capacity where you feel like it is all about you, and you really need to justify your place in the team. We don’t want him to do that.”

“Surya has been batting really nicely leading into this series… we have high expectations of these players. There has been a fairly long string of form now where he hasn’t got the scores we like. But in isolation, we are certainly not worried about it.”

With eight more T20Is to go before the 2026 World Cup, how long can India afford to look at these numbers in isolation?

The JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi was treated to a Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli masterclass in the first ODI against South Africa on Sunday (Novermber 30, 2025), a spectacle that carried India to a narrow 17-run win and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Now, with the action shifting to the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Wednesday (December 3, 2025), the home side has an opportunity to seal the series.

The two former India captains turned back the clock, entertaining a packed house while firmly addressing any questions about their future. Their 136-run partnership for the second wicket — the duo’s 20th century stand in ODIs — was a vintage exhibition of control and authority that sent the South Africans on an exhausting leather hunt. The assurance with which the two operated, their rhythm almost effortless, provided India with the perfect platform to set a daunting total.

Kohli was in majestic touch, threading drives through the off-side with precision and punishing anything in his arc down the ground.

Rohit, meanwhile, carried forward the imperious form he displayed in Sydney during the recent series against Australia. He unfurled his signature pulls, tackled the spinners confidently, and kept the runs flowing, steadily tightening the grip on the visitors.

Their time in the middle, backed by immense experience and skill, felt like a timely injection of belief for a side still recovering from the drubbing in the Test series.

Equally encouraging for India was the composed leadership of stand-in captain K.L. Rahul, who made all the right calls and contributed with a mature innings. The new-ball pair of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana struck early with disciplined lengths, rattling the Proteas’ top-order while Prasidh Krishna chipped in with the key wicket of Corbin Bosch, who briefly threatened to pull off a heist.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep was exceptional, finishing with a four-wicket haul that proved decisive in halting South Africa’s charge and ensuring India stayed on top.

To their credit, the visitors refused to capitulate. After a disastrous start, their middle and lower-order counterpunched. Matthew Breetzke held the innings together while Tony de Zorzi and Dewald Brevis chipped in with valuable cameos before Marco Jansen, continuing his outstanding run across formats, smashed a blistering 70 off 39 balls to give his side a fighting chance.

Regular captain Temba Bavuma will back for the must-win clash and South Africa will fancy its chances of levelling the series.

As the focus shifts to Raipur, several questions linger. Will the pitch result in another run-fest? Can India ride the momentum and seal the series? Or will South Africa hit back to force a decider? The answers will unfold under the lights, but one thing is certain — both teams will be eager to stamp their authority in what promises to be a gripping contest.

The teams (from): India: K.L. Rahul (Capt.), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Capt.), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton and Prenelan Subrayen.

Match starts at 1.30 p.m.

South Africa was rocked early while chasing in the first ODI at Ranchi, largely due to a fiery opening spell from Harshit Rana.

The pacer, along with Arshdeep Singh, reduced the visitors to 11 for three inside the first five overs, laying a strong platform for tweaker Kuldeep Yadav to take control and seal the victory.

Addressing the media on the eve of the second ODI here, the lanky bowler reflected on his performance, the importance of staying focused on his work while shutting out outside noise, and the impact of having two stalwarts [Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli] in the dressing room — something he believes has significantly shaped his growth.

“Honestly, it’s a big thing not just for me but for the whole team. When players with so much experience are around you — whether on the field or in the dressing room — the environment becomes very nice. They always tell youngsters that we can do better. That kind of support automatically improves performance,” he said.

“The team is in a very happy and positive space. They always motivate us, whether things go well or not. They guide us on what the next step should be, especially when you are under pressure on the field,” added the 24-year-old.

On dealing with social-media pressures, Harshit was clear and honest: “I just focus on what I need to do on the ground — my hard work and my processes. What happens outside doesn’t matter. If I start listening to everything on social media, I won’t be able to play cricket. So I try to avoid it as much as possible.”

On bowling alongside Arshdeep and working with bowling coach Morne Morkel, Harshit said: “Morne has huge experience, and I talk to him often. Arshdeep helps me a lot in practice, too. They constantly guide me on what to do and how to improve.”

The presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the ODI leg of the South Africa series should provide some comfort to the worried India fan.

Following the dismal loss in the preceding two Tests, to see the two established, proven winners back on the field will come as much-needed relief.

In the opinion of India bowling coach Morne Morkel, Rohit and Kohli have the quality to feature in the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup.

“They’re quality players. As long as they’re happy to put the hard work in and the fitness… I’ve always believed in experience; you don’t find that anywhere. They’ve won trophies and they know how to play big tournaments. So for sure, if they mentally and physically feel that their bodies can do that, [they can play in] the World Cup by all means,” Morkel said in a press conference here on Friday.

“I’ve played many games against them. I’ve had sleepless nights bowling to them. So, I know as a bowler what goes into your preparation when playing against them. I am definitely on board with that [Rohit and Kohli playing the 2027 World Cup],” the former South Africa fast bowler said.

Morkel stated that Shubman Gill, who injured his neck in the first Test, is “recovering well”.

On Shreyas Iyer, who copped a serious blow to the abdomen in an ODI against Australia last month, Morkel said: “Shreyas has also started his rehab, which is great. We are looking forward to welcoming them [Gill and Shreyas] back into the squad.”

On how the team is coping with the 0-2 loss in the Tests, Morkel added: “Obviously, it was a disappointing two weeks for us, but we have had a couple of days to reflect. The important thing now is to give all our energy into the white-ball team. We have some fresh energy with Virat and Rohit coming back.”

Life has indeed come a full circle for Senuran Muthusamy.

In 2019, during a forgettable debut series in India when he got just two wickets in two Tests, the South African all-rounder of Indian descent reckoned that his career was as good as over and he will never ever play a game in this country.

Cut to 2025, Muthusamy has cracked the code of the sub-continent after an impactful performance in Pakistan, where he scalped 11 wickets in the first Test and 89 not out in second Test.

Now he is cherishing the best day of his career with a game-changing 109 against India while coming in at a not-so-comfortable 201 for five.

“My journey’s been unique. Got a taste of international cricket in 2019 in India, debuted here, went back into the wilderness a little bit. Like you say, cricket is such a journey that you just try to take it one day at a time. You try not to think too far ahead” he said.

“But there were times, especially after 2019, where I wasn’t sure if I’d ever play Test cricket again and certainly not in India after we lost that series,” Muthusamy said, making no bones about where he stood in his career six years back.

Also read | India vs South Africa second Test: Awesome experience, says Muthusamy

“So just really grateful for the support that I’ve got back home, for the people that are really close with me, the coaches, the support staff here, the players, my family back home, my friends. They’ve been incredible,” he added.

Muthusamy has also worked with sports scientist Cheryl Calder and that has also helped in enhancing his performance. After his debut series in 2019, he had to wait for another four years to play his third Test and all this time he has gone through the hard grind of domestic cricket.

“Yeah, it’s fantastic, especially having come through to India in 2019 and we lost the series pretty badly. So, yeah, I’ve gone back to domestic cricket and I’ve managed to work my way back into the national set-up and I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to be in India and to put in a performance like that in the first innings is an awesome experience.,” he added.

His ancestors hail from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and he has never been there although his mother and aunts have been to their native town.

“Of course, I’m of Indian heritage, but that was quite a few generations ago. So my roots are in the south, in Tamil Nadu, my mum and my aunt have been to visit our extended family on that end of India, I haven’t been there as yet,” he said.

Muthusamy views himself as an all-rounder, who would like to add value to the team in any department that he plays.

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.

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.