India’s legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was not happy with Team India’s ‘body language’ on Day 4 of the ongoing second Test against South Africa at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Ashwin shared a screenshot of stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant from broadcast and hoped that India bounce back with the bat in the run chase.
“I really hope we can bounce back while batting in the 2nd innings, but the indications on the field with respect to body language [heartbroken emoji],” Ashwin wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
3 wickets fall in first session
In the first session, India struggled to break the opening partnership. It was Ravindra Jadeja who got India the breakthrough with the wicket of opener Ryan Rickelton who scored 35 runs from 64 balls. The openers put on 59 runs for the first wicket. Jadeja dismissed Markram as well, knocking him over with a peach of a delivery, getting just enough bounce to beat the bat and disturb the stumps. Markram scored 29 runs from 84 balls. The third wicket of the session was taken by Washington Sundar. After getting dropped at forward square leg by Sai Sudharsan, Temba Bavuma edged one to Nitish Reddy to leg slip. Bavuma was dismissed for a single-digit score. South Africa had a lead of 398 runs after the first session.
Pitch gets tough to bat on, Pant misses stumping
While Ashwin expects India to bounce back in the run chase, the signs don’t look promising. The pitch is providing enough assistance to spinners. Bowling in the rough, they are getting enough purchase from the surface. There is even extra bounce on offer like the delivery that beat Bavuma on the front foot. Even an attacking batter Tristan Stubbs was kept quiet by the spinners. Also, Pant missed a stumping chance to see the back of Stubbs.
South Africa set to ask India to break all-time Test record
The highest successful run chase in Test cricket is 418 which belongs to West Indies. In 2003, West Indies chased down 418 against Australia with three wickets in hand at home.
India have successfully chased down a total in excess of 400 only once. In 1976, India chased down 403 against West Indies. Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath scored centuries in the record-breaking run chase almost five decades ago.
The highest successful run chase in Tests against South Africa was achieved by Sri Lanka in 2006 in Colombo. They chased down 352 with just one wicket in hand. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene scored a century in the run chase.