Openers fall after South Africa set India an impossible target of 549 runs

South Africa’s eventual declaration on Day 4 was not a matter of when, but how. With a little under an hour left on the penultimate day of the ongoing Guwahati Test, and their target-setting lead inching towards 550, the extremely patient Tristan Stubbs was given the green flag to smack his way to his first century on Indian soil; or perish trying. So, in what would turn out to be the final over of the Proteas’s second innings, Stubbs slog swept Ravindra Jadeja for a six – his first in a draining essay of 180 balls – to begin proceedings. It took him from 88 to 94.

Two balls later, he tried to once again slog Jadeja into the stands, with his eyes very much on a third Test century, but had his off stump pegged back instead. Instantly, at 260/5, captain Temba Bavuma declared the innings, in turn putting an end to South Africa’s batting in this Test series. But with the target having ballooned to an impossible 549 runs in a little over three sessions, this is where the contest truly began.

The equation couldn’t have been clearer at this juncture: South Africa needed 10 Indian wickets in a little over 100 overs left in this match to sweep the series 2-0, whereas India’s batters needed to show the requisite mettle that has been elusive all series long and bat out a little over 105 overs. Whether or not they could realistically do that, bat that long in the fourth innings to salvage a draw and some lost pride, hinged on the first task at hand: getting to stumps on Tuesday without losing any wickets. They couldn’t, as they were reduced to 27/2 by stumps on Day 4.

Yashasvai Jaiswal was the first to go while trying to cut Marco Jansen, hero of the first bowling innings, only to nick one to the ‘keeper. Only for Jaiswal’s opening partner KL Rahul to succumb immediately after, the top-order bedrock bowled through the gate while trying to drive off-spinner Simon Harmer through the covers. The ball broke with great ferocity instead, knocking back his stumps and the whatever slender hope that the Indian team management would have had for a draw.  

Brief scores: Day 4, 2^nd Test: India 201 & 27/2 (Jaiswal 13, Rahul 6; Harmer 1/1, Jansen 1/14) versus South Africa 489 & 260/5 declared (Stubbs 94, de Zorzi 49; Jadeja 4/62)