Senuran Muthuswam has ensured South Africa had one hand on the series trophy by becoming the first player to score a Test century at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati during the second day of play during the 2nd Test of the India-South Africa series.
Muthuswamy made the maiden ton of his career in the longest format of the game as India squandered a position of strength from Day 2. The all-rounder put up big partnerships with Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen as the Proteas lost just one wicket in the first two sessions of play.
Is Senuran Muthuswamy from India?
Yes, Senuran Muthuswamy is of Indian origin. However, he was born in South Africa in Durban, based in the Natal Province.
His family roots are in India, with the player himself a fourth-generation His. His forefathers are from Tamil Nadu, from the city of Nagapattinam, where some of his family members still live. However, Muthuswamy calls himself firmly South African and claims he does not speak Tamil.
“I am firmly South African. I am quite a few generations down the line. I unfortunately don’t speak Tamil so I am a thoroughbred South African but there’s no getting away from that – our origins are in India,” Muthuswamy said in a press conference in 2019.
Infact, the all-rounder made his Test debut in India in 2019 at Visakhapatnam. The ongoing match is his eighth Test matach. Before this fixture, he had 279 runs and 22 wickets in the longest format. He has also played five T20Is and ODIs each for the Proteas, all of which have come earlier this year.
Last month, he was a star performer for South Africa in Pakistan as he took an 11-wicket haul (6 in the first innings, 5 in the second). In their victory in the second game, he played a vital knock of 89 to turn the game around from a spot of bother for South Africa.