DAY 1 Highlights Bavuma and Stubbs Lead with Steady Progress
The second Test match between South Africa and India commenced at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday. South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first, making steady progress throughout the morning session.
Day 1 Highlights: Bavuma and Stubbs Lead with Steady Progress
At the lunch break, South Africa scored 156 runs. Openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put together a strong partnership, adding 82 runs before both were dismissed. However, captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs built on this foundation with an impressive 74-run partnership for the third wicket.
Top Performers of the Morning Session
- Aiden Markram: Scored 38 runs off 81 balls with five boundaries before being bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.
- Ryan Rickelton: Contributed 35 runs off 82 balls, also with five boundaries.
Bavuma, who remains unbeaten on 36, showcased strong batting skills, pulling and driving Mohammad Siraj for consecutive boundaries. Meanwhile, Stubbs, with a score of 32, displayed his abilities by hitting Kuldeep Yadav for a six and successfully maneuvering against Bumrah.
Match Conditions and Strategy
The pitch at Barsapara Stadium offered some spin yet provided little help to seam bowlers in the first session. As the match progresses, conditions are expected to deteriorate, making early runs even more crucial for South Africa.
Markram was fortunate to escape an early dismissal after KL Rahul dropped a catch at second slip off Bumrah when he was only on four runs. Despite this setback, Markram and Rickelton handled the initial overs from Bumrah and Siraj well, showcasing solid defensive techniques against spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.
Team Changes and Lineups
South Africa made a change to their lineup, replacing fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch with left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy. In contrast, India brought in Sai Sudharsan to replace injured captain Shubman Gill and included Nitish Kumar Reddy, dropping left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
Player Lineups
| India | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Aiden Markram |
| KL Rahul | Ryan Rickelton |
| Washington Sundar | Wiaan Mulder |
| Sai Sudharsan | Temba Bavuma (captain) |
| Rishabh Pant (captain/wkt) | Tony de Zorzi |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Tristan Stubbs |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Kyle Verreynne (wkt) |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Marco Jansen |
| Mohammad Siraj | Senuran Muthusamy |
| Simon Harmer | |
| Keshav Maharaj |
As Day 1 unfolds, the outcome remains uncertain, with both teams positioning themselves strategically. South Africa aims to capitalize on their strong start, while India looks to reclaim control as the conditions change.
