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December 24, 2025
December 24, 2025
December 24, 2025
South Africa 159 and 93 for 7 (Bavuma 29, Jadeja 4-29) lead India 189 (Rahul 39, Harmer 4-30, Jansen 3-35) by 63 runs*
India began the second day 122 runs behind in the first innings with nine wickets in hand. Less than six dramatic hours of cricket later, they were sensing victory, having reduced South Africa to an effective 63 for 7 in their second innings. Fifteen wickets fell during the day, Shubman Gill retired with a neck spasm, 39 remained the top score in the Test, and 57 the highest partnership. This was the lowest top score in the first two innings of a Test in India, and the lowest in any Test since Durban 2010–11 between the same sides.
Absolutely nobody predicted the pitch would become so difficult to bat on. It appeared to be a normal Indian surface, expected to be good for batting on the first two days, but the top layer began to come off during the second half of day one. On day two, it became nearly unplayable. Even the fast bowlers found generous assistance, taking 11 of the 26 wickets to fall.
The pitch might seem at odds with India’s public statements after last year’s series defeat to New Zealand, when they said they wanted more balanced surfaces. But commentator Dinesh Karthik noted on air that the pitch had not been watered the day before the Test — something that appears unusual.
What was not unusual was that the best player on this pivotal day was Ravindra Jadeja, who scored a largely trouble-free 27 before his old-fashioned technique of hiding the bat behind the pad led to him being trapped lbw by Simon Harmer.
Harmer himself showed that the hype was justified, proving he is now a vastly improved bowler compared with the one who toured India ten years ago. His 4 for 30 ensured South Africa trailed by only 30 after being dismissed for 159 on the first day. Jadeja, though, showed that 30 was plenty, producing an impeccable unbroken spell of 13-3-29-4 as South Africa ended the day on 93 for 7.
When the day began, and even after a wicketless first hour, India looked set for a decisive first-innings lead. KL Rahul, the top-scorer in the match, and India’s new No. 3, Washington Sundar, constructed the joint-highest partnership of the game. Harmer was introduced only in the second hour, but produced immediate results, turning one past Washington’s edge and the next onto it.
At 75 for 2, India were 84 behind South Africa and still in a comfortable position. Gill, whose neck appeared uncomfortable during morning warm-ups, then went into a spasm almost immediately after sweeping Harmer for four.
While Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja — with scores of 39, 27 and 27 respectively — looked assured in their own ways, the wicket-taking delivery always seemed imminent. Rahul made the mistake of following Keshav Maharaj’s extravagant turn, Jadeja was undone by natural variation, and Pant fell to extra bounce from Corbin Bosch.
Maharaj will be disappointed to have conceded more than four an over, but the combination of Harmer and Marco Jansen made light work of India’s lower order — as is often the case on such pitches. In Kagiso Rabada’s absence, Jansen’s figures of 15-4-35-3 kept South Africa alive. India lost their last four wickets for 36.
When India began bowling again, with a little over half an hour to tea on day two, it was logical to open with spin. Jasprit Bumrah, who had taken five in the first innings, did take the new ball from the end offering uneven bounce, but it was not long before spin was operating from both ends, leaving South Africa with little breathing room.
Kuldeep Yadav removed Ryan Rickelton with the final ball before tea — one that held its line and caught Rickelton playing back when he should have been forward.
Pant, captaining in Gill’s absence, immediately brought Jadeja on from the other end — the finger spinner who can bowl quickly and accurately. As is often the case on such treacherous surfaces, the wicket-taking balls did not appear especially threatening, but the deliveries around them scrambled batters’ minds. Aiden Markram checked his sweep when he should not have, beaten by a ball that stopped on him. Tony de Zorzi reverse-swept his first ball safely, but the next leapt off the surface for a simple bat-pad catch.
Wiaan Mulder tested Jadeja’s patience, but the bowler eventually found the edge with a big-turning delivery. Tristan Stubbs was worked over through subtle changes of angle, Jadeja finally going wide of the crease, angling the ball in, and then turning it away to hit off stump.
Kyle Verreynne drew criticism for attempting a slog-sweep off Axar Patel, but scoring opportunities were scarce on such a pitch with in-out fields in place. A similar attacking approach worked for Jansen for a while as he reached 13, but even he feathered a sweep off Kuldeep.
The catching from both sides was exceptional throughout, with Rahul ending the day with a sharp low catch at slip off a deflection from keeper Pant. Temba Bavuma defended resolutely and used the sweep occasionally to reach stumps unbeaten on 29 from 78 balls, but he still appeared to have much to do to give South Africa any chance of winning. (ESPNcricinfo)
