South Africa strengthened their hold on the second Test against India in Guwahati as Simon Harmer once again troubled the Indian batting lineup. The off-spinner claimed four wickets in the innings, dismissing batters through a mix of deliveries and maintaining India’s collapse.
Harmer was particularly lethal in the morning session, taking all three wickets to fall. He struck twice in a single over to remove Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel, before dismissing Rishabh Pant shortly after.
India’s struggles with the bat, evident throughout the series, resurfaced yet again. The team appeared unable to counter South Africa’s disciplined and patient approach. After losing the opening Test in Kolkata while chasing just 124, the second Test has followed a similar pattern, with the Proteas controlling the game and placing pressure firmly on India.
By Day 5, India trailed by 522 runs, making a chase nearly impossible. Scoring at more than six runs per over in the fourth innings with two wickets down is unrealistic, particularly for a side that failed to reach 124 in the first Test. India’s focus now shifts to surviving long enough to secure a draw, salvage World Test Championship points, and address their batting shortcomings.
For South Africa, the outlook is far brighter. The WTC champions, led by Temba Bavuma, have performed consistently away from home and are on the brink of a 2-0 series sweep. Their dominance has been apparent throughout the series, and unless India display remarkable resilience, the match is firmly in South Africa’s favor.
