As the second Test in Guwahati hangs in the balance, former Indian captain Anil Kumble has issued a stark warning to the home team: they must bat with extreme discipline to avoid defeat. South Africa dominated Day 2, posting a formidable 489 thanks to Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden century (109) and Marco Jansen’s powerful 93. India, at stumps, was precariously placed at 9/0, trailing by a massive 480 runs.
Kumble stressed the critical need for patience and strategic batting over the next two days. He anticipates the pitch will offer more assistance to bowlers as it wears down, particularly for spinners. “The focus now must be on how they can bat through the next two days. If they control Day 3 and Day 4, they can start thinking about the second innings,” Kumble stated.
The young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is key to India’s strategy. Kumble advised Jaiswal to prioritize survival during the initial challenging phase. “He needs 30 to 45 minutes to adjust and survive Jansen’s first spell. If he does that, we’ll see the dominant Jaiswal everyone knows,” he added, confident in Jaiswal’s ability to handle spinners once settled.
Despite a decent bowling effort from India, with Kuldeep Yadav taking four wickets and others bagging two each, they couldn’t stem the flow of runs once Muthusamy and Jansen found their rhythm. Jansen’s explosive innings, featuring seven sixes, equaled a record for a lower-order batter in India.
Marco Jansen’s aggressive batting was identified as a game-changer by Kumble. His partnership with Muthusamy not only propelled South Africa past 400 but pushed them close to 500, significantly altering the match’s complexion. The visitors now hold a commanding lead, with a rare away series victory in India within their sights, leaving India with the daunting task of surviving two days of hard cricket.