Jansen Bounces India Out in their Own Backyard

Marco Jansen’s six-wicket haul hammered home South Africa’s dominant position on day three of their second Test against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

The left-arm seamer claimed 6 – 48 in 19.5 overs as South Africa knocked India over for 201, in reply to their mammoth first innings total of 489.

South Africa finished the day on 26 – 0 and with a 314 run lead, with Ryan Rickelton on 13* and Aiden Markram on 12*, before bad light curtailed play once again.

India had made a solid start to their reply, reaching 65 – 0, before KL Rahul became the first wicket to fall, when he edged Keshav Maharaj to Markram at slip.

The dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal for a well-made 58 then sparked a collapse of three wickets for seven runs at the end of the first session, as the batters chipped catches to the South African fielders.

However, the real damage was done by the pace and bounce of Jansen after the tea break, as he claimed three further wickets to reduce India to 122 – 7.

India skipper Rishabh Pant was caught behind attempting to use his feet in typical counter-attacking fashion, before brutish short deliveries undid Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja, with the former falling victim to an incredible, one-handed diving catch from Markram.

Washington Sundar (48) and Kuldeep Yadav (19) shared a vigilant 72 run partnership, but they only seemed to be delaying the inevitable, premature end of their innings.

After Simon Harmer removed Sundar, Jansen dismissed Yadav to claim a fourth Test five-wicket haul courtesy of a fifth Markram catch and finished off the Indian innings by removing Jasprit Bumrah.

With captain Temba Bavuma opting to bat once more, rather than enforcing the follow-on, a perfect day was complete with the South African openers getting through to the close of play unscathed.

India now face an uphill battle heading into the fourth day to avoid losing the second Test and succumbing to a 2 – 0 series whitewash in their own backyard.