South Africa stamped their authority on Day 3 of the second Test in Guwahati, closing the day in a dominant position after Marco Jansen’s sensational six-wicket haul dismantled India’s first-innings resistance. Early stumps due to poor light brought an end to a day completely controlled by the visitors, who finished at 26/0 in their second innings, stretching their overall lead to a commanding 314 runs.

Marco Jansen’s brilliance headlines India’s collapse

Jansen produced one of the finest spells of his Test career, spearheading South Africa’s attack with pace, bounce, and accuracy that India’s batters struggled to handle. His spell of 6/48 in 19.5 overs was a decisive blow as India were bowled out for 201 in 83.5 overs.

The left-armer found movement off the surface throughout the morning and afternoon sessions, repeatedly asking questions of India’s middle and lower order. Jansen’s ability to extract steep bounce troubled every batter, continuing the pressure he had built with his crucial contributions in South Africa’s first innings.

Simon Harmer provided excellent support with his tight, probing off-spin, finishing with figures of 3/64 from 27 overs. Keshav Maharaj chipped in with the wicket of Rishabh Pantensuring India never found the momentum needed to narrow the deficit.

India’s top order shows promise but fizzles out

India began the day with hope as Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his impressive run, striking 58 off 97 balls with trademark elegance and control. His innings, decorated with seven boundaries and a towering six, kept India afloat in the early exchanges. But once he departed, the innings began to unravel.

KL Rahul tried to anchor the other end, battling hard for his 22 off 63 deliveries, but couldn’t convert his start. Sai Sudharsan (15 off 40) showed solid temperament before falling to Harmer, while debutant Dhruv Jurel endured a challenging outing, dismissed for a duck.

The middle order crumbled under the relentless pressure. Stand-in captain Pant lasted just eight balls for his seven runs, while Ravindra Jadeja (6 off 18) couldn’t offer stability either.

Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav fight back with grit

India found brief respite through Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadavwho stitched together a gritty partnership that slowed South Africa’s charge. Sundar played with composure and excellent shot selection during his 48 off 92 balls, including two fours and a six. Kuldeep batted with remarkable resilience, grinding out 19 off a marathon 134 deliveries. Their defiance, however, wasn’t enough to prevent India from conceding a huge first-innings deficit of 288.

Lower-order contributions were minimal: jasprit bumrah struck a boundary in his 5 off 17 before departing, while Mohammed Siraj remained unbeaten on 2.

South Africa opt against follow-on, extend lead

With a massive advantage in hand, South Africa rejected the option of enforcing the follow-on. Openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton walked out to bat for a short stint before bad light halted play. The Proteas safely negotiated the remaining overs to finish at 26/0, swelling their lead to an imposing 314.

South Africa are now perfectly placed to bat India out of the match and push for a series-clinching victory. A brisk scoring session in the morning could set up a declaration, leaving India with a monumental task on a wearing fourth-innings surface. India, on the other hand, require resilience of the highest order—and a disciplined bowling effort—to stay alive in this Test match.

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