India on the brink of Test series defeat

When the last wicket of India’s first essay, that of Jasprit Bumrah to the unstoppable Marco Jansen, fell late on Day 3, the hosts had conceded an embarrassing lead of 288 runs in the first innings to South Africa. Immediately, all eyes – including those of the umpires at the Guwahati ground – were on Temba Bavuma, captain of the Proteas and a man with a momentous decision to make: should he or should he not ask India to bat again, enforcing the follow-on?

When the last wicket of India’s first essay, that of Jasprit Bumrah to the unstoppable Marco Jansen, fell late on Day 3, the hosts had conceded an embarrassing lead of 288 runs in the first innings to South Africa. Immediately, all eyes – including those of the umpires at the Guwahati ground – were on Temba Bavuma, captain of the Proteas and a man with a momentous decision to make: should he or should he not ask India to bat again, enforcing the follow-on?

The last time India was forced to follow-on in home conditions was back in 2010, when South Africa's Graeme Smith had done so in Nagpur. That was 15 years ago, and Bavuma was a 20-year-old up and coming cricketer, which should also tell you just how long India had been dominant in their own backyard. For Bavuma to now be in a position to become the first man since his compatriot to have the choice of making India follow-on in home conditions was a weighted moment, so much so that this South African skipper felt the heft of history on his shoulders, asking the umpires to wait as he ran back to the dressing room to decide along with the team’s support staff.

Bavuma eventually chose not to make India bat a second time, but even if he hadn’t enforced the follow-on, he certainly did push down further embarrassment and misery. For not only had the reigning world champions in the format all but ensured that India could not possibly win this game, the series result was just as secure – having won the first Test in Kolkata and certain of not losing the ongoing one in Guwahati, South Africa will by Wednesday (barring a miracle) win their first Test series in India since the year 2000.

The fact that fast bowler Jansen took six Indian wickets suggests that it isn’t just spin that the team coached by Gautam Gambhir is struggling with. Even though it was spin that made the early inroads, with the top order of KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, in that order, falling to the turn of Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer respectively. Thus, from 65 for no loss at one point in the first session of the day, India had been reduced to 96/3 in time for the first break. Out came Rishabh Pant, Test captain for the first time in his career, to steady the ship. But on either side of the inverted tea break, both Pant and Dhruv Jurel threw their wickets away to the loosest of big strokes, gifting Markram his first two wickets.

Markram then made it count. And how. On a pitch where he scored 93 to extend South Africa’s total to 489, he ran riot through India’s middle-order with short deliveries, finding great purchase from a pitch that other pacers couldn’t. When all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was out fending yet another Markram bouncer, India were 122/7, staring at an ignominiously low total. But Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav did what the specialist batters couldn’t, occupy the crease and bat with soft hands. For 208 deliveries Sundar and Kuldeep batted to push India towards the 200-run mark. But Bavuma and his earnest bowling attack knew it was just a matter of time, finally bowling the hosts out for 201.

Then, the decision to not enforce the follow-on ensured that their first innings lead of 288 had ballooned to 314 runs by stumps on Day 3, without a single wicket being lost on a Barsapara pitch where India surrendered all 10 for a paltry 136 runs.

Brief scores: Day 3, 2^nd Test: South Africa 489 & 26/0 (Rickelton 13 not out, Markram 12 not out) versus India 201 all out (Jaiswal 58, Sundar 48; Jansen 6/48)