India vs South Africa: Rishabh Pat-led India will lock horns against Temba Bavuma’s South Africa in the second Test match of the series, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, from Saturday, November 22.
Currently, South Africa are leading 1-0 over India in the two-match Test series. Now, India will be aiming to clinch a win in the upcoming Guwahati Test and draw the series.
After the defeat in the first Test match at the Eden Gardens, the pitch in Kolkata came under the scanner. Many cricket pundits criticised the wickets at the Eden Gardens, claiming that it was difficult to play on. However, India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, confirmed that the team management had requested such a pitch.
Temba Bavuma Opens Up On Guwahati Pitch
While speaking at the pre-match press conference, South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma said that the wicket in Guwahati is a lot fresher. He also compared the pitch in Guwahati with that in Kolkata, saying that the conditions at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium will offer more consistent conditions in terms of variability.
“This wicket looks a lot fresher and will be more consistent in terms of variability compared to Kolkata. We will have another look in the morning and decide on Kagiso’s replacement. This is a typical subcontinental wicket, with the first two days good for batting before spinners come into play,” Temba Bavuma told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
He further added that the South African squad is looking forward to playing in the upcoming Guwahati Test.
“Going into the second Test, it should be an exciting, enthralling contest. Everyone is looking forward to it,” he added.
India Concede Humiliating Defeat To South Africa In Kolkata Test
Earlier in the first Test match in Kolkata, India bowled out South Africa for 159 after being asked to bowl first on a pitch that offered the bowlers variable bounce and proved to be tough for batting India, however, found batting just as hard and were dismissed for 189. KL Rahul top-scored with a gritty 39 while Rishabh Pant helped with a quick 27 off just 24 balls. Ravindra Jadeja’s 27-run innings also helped India gain a 30-run lead. For South Africa, Harmer stood out with a four-wicket haul, while Marco Jansen claimed three wickets.
Trailing by 30 runs, South Africa posted 153 in their second innings, giving India a target of 124. Most of the visiting batters found Jadeja’s spin difficult to handle, but captain Temba Bavuma showed resilience with a gritty 55, the only half-century of the match. Bosch added a valuable 25 to keep the innings going. Jadeja finished with figures of 4 for 50 from 20 overs, while Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj picked up two wickets each, and Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah took one apiece.