Team India found themselves under pressure once again on Day 3 of the second Test in Guwahati, and the spotlight fell heavily on KL Rahul after another missed opportunity in the slips. During South Africa’s second innings on Monday (November 24), Rahul shelled a tough but catchable chance off Aiden Markram at second slip, allowing the Proteas opener yet another reprieve.
The moment left Jasprit Bumrah visibly frustrated, especially as the edged delivery not only went to ground but also ran away for a boundary. Earlier in the day, Rahul had shown promise with the bat alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, adding 65 for the opening stand. But that brief stability was overshadowed by India’s dramatic collapse.
From 94/1, the hosts crumbled to 122/7 as the middle order once again struggled to counter South Africa’s relentless pace attack. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav did offer some resistance with a crucial 72-run partnership, but their effort only managed to lift India to 201—still miles behind the visitors’ imposing 489-run total.
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Markram, who was dropped by Rahul in the first innings as well, found himself fortunate once again. Bumrah produced a beautiful outswinger, drawing a thick outside edge, but Rahul—despite a full-stretch dive—could not keep the ball in hand as it popped out on impact. For a batter of Markram’s quality, two lives in a Test match can often be the difference between control and chaos, and India may well look back at these moments with regret.
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India’s first-innings collapse, particularly after Jaiswal’s fluent fifty, shifted the momentum completely in South Africa’s favour. Quick strikes before lunch exposed the middle order, while Rishabh Pant’s dismissal to an ill-timed stroke further deepened India’s troubles. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja also fell to Marco Jansen’s menacing short-ball barrage, leaving the hosts with far too much to recover from.
Despite gaining a massive 288-run lead, South Africa interestingly chose not to enforce the follow-on. Instead, they decided to bat again under fading Guwahati light, sending Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton out to build on their advantage.
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A series win in India would be monumental for the Proteas. They have not tasted a Test series victory on Indian soil since the famous 2-0 triumph in 1999-2000. India dominated the last two decades, winning three of the previous five contests, while the 2007/08 and 2009/10 series ended in hard-fought draws. With South Africa touring India for the first time since their 0-3 drubbing in 2019/20, the visitors now stand on the brink of rewriting history—if they can seize the chances India continue to offer.
