India in danger of ending another year with a home Test series defeat

When South Africa began Day 2 in Guwahati, four wickets in hand and three runs shy of 250, popular commentator Harsha Bhogle posted what he thought was the best scenario for India to win the match — "keep SA down to between 300 & 320 and bat till the end of Day 3 at least".

But South Africa only had a minor scare in the first session, when Muthusamy was given out LBW off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling. SA took the review and found that the ball had brushed the gloves. Muthusamy survived on 48, and got his fifty shortly afterwards. The visitors went for lunch at 316/6.

Muthusamy kept playing smartly and reached his maiden Test ton before Tea. Marco Jansen was unlucky to miss his first Test hundred after playing on at 93. The lanky South African hit seven sixes, the most by a batter coming in at No 9 or below against India. Wasim Akram's five sixes in Chennai in 1987 was the previous best. In the end, the SA innings folded at 489, outlasting most predictions. 

Former Test cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, doing parallel commentary on social media, and impressed by Muthusamy and Verreynne's (45) partnership (88) for the seventh wicket, aptly pointed out that "India will have to do the heavy lifting to push for a win".

After allowing the SA score at will on the second day, India must rework the scenario that could win them the match. Bat through Days 3 and 4, with the idea of mounting a total so huge that the visitors might just fall short in pursuit on the final day. That is quite a lot to ask for, but that is probably the only way India can win the match.

But India should also factor in "bad light". "...another session will surely be lost due to bad light," posted Ashwin on X. "More spin expected as the game goes on, so maybe 30/40 overs will be lost," he posted before Tea. Ashwin was spot on because play was stopped early due to bad light, with India on 9/0, traling by 480 runs.

After the 30-run defeat in the first Test at Eden Gardens, India must win in Guwahati or surrender the two-match series at home. India had ended 2024 with a humiliating home series loss (0-3) to New Zealand. Now, India are in danger of surrendering the 'Freedom Trophy’, and ending another year with a home Test series defeat. Will it end 1-0 or 2-0 is to be seen, unless there is a miracle.