South Africa’s Resilient Comeback on Day 2 at Eden Gardens as India Struggles at 138-4 by Lunch

On the second day of the first Test match at Eden Gardens, South Africa’s cricket team demonstrated resilience by claiming three key wickets. As a result, India found themselves at 138-4 during the lunch break, still needing 21 runs to surpass South Africa’s first innings total of 159.

India’s Struggles Against South Africa’s Bowling

The Indian team faced a challenging situation, particularly after captain Shubman Gill suffered a rib injury. Gill had to leave the field after attempting a slog sweep early in the match, which added to the team’s woes.

Key Performers

The South African bowlers, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, played pivotal roles in breaking through India’s defensive batting strategy. Both spinners took crucial wickets, contributing significantly to the match’s evolving dynamic:

• KL Rahul: Caught at slip for 39 runs from 119 deliveries, hitting four fours and one six.
• Washington Sundar: Dismissed for 29 runs off 82 balls, with two fours and one six.

Rishabh Pant attempted to counter-attack under pressure, scoring aggressively with multiple boundaries before being out to a bouncer from Corbin Bosch.

Match Update

As players returned from the lunch break, India will resume with Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel at the crease. Jadeja is on 11 not out, while Jurel remains unbeaten on five. They will face a challenging spell from the South African bowlers:

• Keshav Maharaj: 16 overs, 1 wicket for 66 runs.
• Simon Harmer: 7 overs, 1 wicket for 22 runs.

Team Lineups

The following players are representing each team:

As the match unfolds, the afternoon session promises to bring further excitement with both teams eager to solidify their positions. South Africa’s strong bowling attack is poised to challenge the remaining Indian batsmen. It remains to be seen how India will respond after the lunch break.