IND vs SA 2025-26, 2nd Test: A balanced Day 1 ends with India slightly ahead as South Africa reach 247-6 at stumps.
Brief Scores: SA 247/6 (Tristan Stubbs 49, Temba Bavuma 41, Kuldeep Yadav 3/48) vs Ind at stumps on Day 1.
South Africa marched into the second Test of the two-match series against Team India with an unassailable lead of 1-0, thanks to a 30-run victory in Kolkata. The pressure was massive on the hosts, who have lost four of their last six home red-ball clashes. The second game took place at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, hosting its maiden five-day contest.
It was a red soil pitch with substantial grass cover. There was a little bit of moisture on the deck, which the pacers could use in the first 30-minutes. But as is the trend in any subcontinent surface, batting first would be the way to go with spin to come later in the game.
South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy replaced Corbin Bosch in the eleven. For the Blue Brigade, Rishabh Pant led the side in the absence of the injured Shubman Gill. The home management brought Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sai Sudharsan into the playing eleven.
Read More: Reasons why India batters find themselves vulnerable against spin in the current era
Talking point: Washington Sundar’s return with the ball – is skill a problem?
Washington Sundar retained his place despite Reddy coming into the side. Meanwhile, the management decided to leave out Axar Patel, who contributed with the bat in the previous Kolkata Test. Sundar didn’t turn up well with the ball, ending with 0/36 in 14 overs. His lack of wickets continued while Simon Harmer was exceptional against the India batters. The management will need to think about their decision.
Jasprit Bumrah removes Aiden Markram after South Africa’s strong start; visitors 82/1 at tea
Both the visiting opening batters, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, were excellent in the first 30 minutes against the new ball. They were confident in their leaves and every shot they played. Markram got an early life on four when KL Rahul dropped a simple catch at the slip region.
But the opener showed incredible technique against the spinners. He drove a fine cover driver against Washington Sundar. The key to that shot was getting forward and reaching the pitch of the delivery. Pant brought Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack. And on the stroke of the tea break, the Gujarat pacer removed Markram, who got a thick outside edge onto his stumps. South Africa ended the first session with 82/1.
Read More: IND vs SA 2025-26: India face hazardous surplus of left-hand batters in their squad
Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs’ 74*-run stand pushes South Africa to 156/2 at lunch
The tourists didn’t get a decent start in the second session. On the third ball, Kuldeep Yadav sent back Rickelton on 35. It was a full-length delivery that drifted in and spun away marginally to take the outside edge of the southpaw’s lazy drive. Pant grabbed a sensational catch low to the ground and near the bat. But since then, captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs looked solid in the middle.
Stubbs lofted Kuldeep over long-on for a massive six while Bavuma put the bad balls into the fence. They put up an unbeaten stand of 74 runs for the second wicket to lead the Proteas to 156/2 at lunch. India tried various plans, but they weren’t successful in breaking the duo’s concentration.
Kuldeep Yadav’s 3/48 restricts South Africa to 247/6 at stumps
Soon after the break, Ravindra Jadeja broke the 84-run stand by dismissing Bavuma. The SA captain looked to take the aerial route and lofted the tossed-up delivery into the hands of deep mid-off. Stubbs, who used his feet brilliantly in the 49-run knock, got a thick outside edge to Kuldeep as Rahul grabbed a sharp catch.
Wiaan Mulder was the next man to head towards the dressing room on 13. He also went for a massive shot but didn’t get enough elevation. Yashasvi Jaiswal managed a fine catch at mid-off as the visitors lost three wickets for 35 runs.
Tony de Zorzi and Muthusamy put up a decent 45-run stand for the sixth wicket and had almost seen the day off. But Mohammad Siraj broke the stand with the new ball. Later, the umpires called early stumps due to bad light as the visitors ended with 247/6.
Read More: “India losing home Tests because of ‘transition phase’ can’t be digested,” says Cheteshwar Pujara
What to expect on Day 2
The Proteas will aim to cross the 350-run mark, which would be a great score on this surface. With the second new ball, India should attack the batters and the tail to keep the tourists below 300.
Statistical Highlights from IND vs SA, 1st Test, Day 1, Guwahati
- Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati becomes the 30th Test venue in India.
- Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram record South Africa’s highest Test opening stand (82) in India since the beginning of 2010.
- Jasprit Bumrah has now dismissed Aiden Markram four times in Tests. The SA opener has 107 runs against India’s pacer at an average of 26.80.
- Temba Bavum and Tristan Stubbs register South Africa’s second-best third-wicket Test stand (84) in India since the beginning of 2010. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis hold the record with a 340-run stand in Nagpur.
- Ravindra Jadeja has now dismissed Temba Bavuma thrice in Tests. The SA captain has an average of 19.7 against the left-arm spinner.
- Kuldeep Yadav has the best strike rate (36.60) for a spinner in Tests (minimum 50 wickets).
- Kuldeep Yadav is the only spinner with a sub-40 SR in Tests (minimum 50 wickets).
Nice little come back from team India after SA lost only 2 wickets when they were on 160. Kuldeep Yadav was brilliant.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) November 22, 2025
Read More: IND vs SA 2025-26, 1st Test: Spin it to ‘bin’ it – India lose yet another home Test on a turner
