Ind vs SA Test 2 Day 2 : India Press for Lead as SA Battle Back
On Ind vs SA Test 2 Day 2 in Guwahati, South Africa took a stranglehold on the match thanks to a stubborn lower-order masterclass. Senuran Muthusamy converted his overnight 25 into a gritty maiden Test hundred, while Marco Jansen went into full counter-punch mode with a blazing 93. Together, they dragged the visitors from “good total” territory into “match-defining” 489. India had to survive a tricky little phase before stumps and did so, reaching 9/0 in 6.1 overs, but the hosts still trail by a huge 480 and have a serious rescue job on Day 3.
What happened on Day 1
Day 1 at Barsapara was about South Africa’s top order setting things up and India’s spinners dragging it back late. After winning the toss, the Proteas openers Aiden Markram (38) and Ryan Rickelton (35) added 82 for the first wicket, before Temba Bavuma (41) and Tristan Stubbs (49) pushed them to 166/2. India were staring at a big one until Kuldeep Yadav (3/48) and Mohammed Siraj picked up key wickets in the last session, leaving South Africa at 247/6 at stumps, with Senuran Muthusamy 25* and Kyle Verreynne 1*. It felt like India had just about kept the door open.
India vs South Africa - 2nd Test • Day 2
South Africa tour of India 2025/26 • 22–26 November 2025
Full Day-2 breakdown
South Africa started Day 2 on 247/6 and, for a while, India would have felt they were one strike away from the tail. Muthusamy and Verreynne calmly took the game into attritional mode, adding an 88-run stand for the seventh wicket and grinding the bowlers down. Once Verreynne fell for a patient 45, the real pain began – Muthusamy found the perfect partner in Marco Jansen.
Jansen walked in with intent and completely changed the tempo. While Muthusamy sat in, played the percentages and inched his way to a 109 off 206 balls, Jansen went after India’s spinners, smashing 93 off 91 balls with seven sixes, the most by an overseas batter in a Test innings in India. Their 97-run stand for the ninth wicket pushed South Africa to a massive 489 all out in 151.1 overs, turning a decent first-innings total into a dominant one. India’s attack looked tired by the end; Kuldeep finished with 4/115, but all five frontline bowlers crossed 25 overs.
With a tricky mini-session to negotiate, India sent out Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. They played within themselves, with Jaiswal picking up a boundary but otherwise just trying to get through to stumps. India closed on 9/0 in 6.1 overs, still 480 runs behind, and now everything from here is about survival first, scoreboard next.
Day 2 : Session-wise Analysis
Morning session – South Africa tighten the grip
The morning was all about consolidation. Muthusamy and Verreynne were in no rush, batting old-school Test cricket. They nudged India’s spinners around, punished the rare loose ball and slowly pulled the game away. India’s lengths went a bit defensive, and by the time Verreynne fell for 45, South Africa were already into a position of control. That first session clearly belonged to the Proteas – they lost just one wicket while stretching past 330, and India’s early optimism from Day 1 disappeared.
Afternoon session – Jansen’s counter-attack breaks India
After lunch came the most brutal phase for India. Muthusamy reached his maiden Test hundred, but it was Jansen who really ripped the script apart. He took on the spinners, lofting them for straight sixes and sweeping with confidence. As the partnership crossed 90, India’s field spread and the pressure flipped – suddenly it was about damage limitation. Every time India thought they might trigger a collapse, Jansen found another boundary. The run rate spiked, the bowlers’ figures got uglier, and the game tilted heavily South Africa’s way. Clear Proteas session again.
Evening session – India just about hang in
The final session was about two small wins for India: ending South Africa’s innings and not losing a wicket in reply. Kuldeep eventually removed Jansen on 93 to close out the innings at 489, but the psychological blow was done. With the bat, Jaiswal and Rahul were understandably cautious; they focused purely on survival against an eager South African attack. India moved to 9/0 at stumps – not much on the board, but at least no early damage. On balance, though, even this session felt even at best; across the day, South Africa completely dominated.
Top performers on Day-2
Senuran Muthusamy – the glue in South Africa’s innings
Senuran Muthusamy’s 109 off 206 balls was the innings that hurt India the most, because of when and how he scored it. Walking in with South Africa wobbling on Day 1 and then resuming on 25* on Day 2, he never looked rushed. He played Kuldeep and Jadeja late, was happy to leave or defend, and waited for anything even slightly overpitched.
A Day 2 to Remember! 💯🔥
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 24, 2025
Centurion Senuran Muthusamy reflects on his maiden Test hundred after a superb knock in Guwahati. 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/zXM8o0t91a
His partnerships told the story – useful stands with Verreynne and then that game-changing one with Jansen. By the time he fell, he had dragged the innings from “under-par if we collapse” to “489 and full control”. This was a proper, old-fashioned Test hundred under pressure.
Marco Jansen – a fast bowler who batted like a middle-order bully
Marco Jansen’s 93 off 91 balls was pure heartbreak for India. On a surface that had gone pretty flat, he decided the best defence was attack, and it worked perfectly. Jansen took on the spinners, hitting seven sixes – a record for an overseas Test batter in India – and forced India to keep men on the rope instead of around the bat. Every big blow chipped away at India’s energy and belief. What made it worse from India’s point of view was that he was doing this at No. 9. His innings changed the tone of the match, turning 350-ish into 489 and leaving India mentally drained before they’d even picked up a bat.
Kuldeep Yadav – the lone bowler who kept asking questions
On a tough day for the bowlers, Kuldeep Yadav’s 4/115 from 29.1 overs stood out as the only spell that consistently threatened. He was the one who broke partnerships on Day 1 and again on Day 2, eventually dismissing Muthusamy and Jansen to at least put a lid on the damage at 489 instead of something even more outrageous. Yes, he went for runs – that’s almost inevitable when you bowl that many overs while batters are attacking – but he also created most of India’s wicket-taking chances. In a sea of tired figures, Kuldeep’s persistence and ability to strike kept India faintly in the contest.
What to expect on Day 3
Day 3 of ind vs sa test 2 day 2 follow-up is now all about India’s batting temperament. They’re 480 behind, so there’s no point thinking about the scoreboard early on – it’s about batting time, playing ugly if needed and dragging the game into the fourth day. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will have to see off the morning spell from the seamers and then the long, nagging spells from Harmer and Maharaj. South Africa, on the other hand, will smell a 2–0 series win. If they can run through India and enforce the follow-on or build a huge lead, this Test could move very fast. First session on Day 3 is everything.
