India Vs South Africa Highlights, 2nd Test Day 1: Mohammed Siraj Strikes Late As Hosts Finish 246/6 At Stumps

Hello, cricket lovers! We’re back with another live blog for India vs South Africa. India hunt for a win to level the series, while South Africa eye a Test clean sweep. Stay tuned for live updates!

Play kicks off at 9:00 AM IST, and there’s a bit of that Test-morning buzz already in the air. If you’re catching this from India, the whole India vs South Africa second Test will stream on JioHotstar, app or website, take your pick. Prefer the big screen? Star Sports Network has you covered.

Settle in, coffee ready, this one’s about to roll.

South Africa have won the toss and have opted to bat first against India.

South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj

India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Bumrah gets things going in Guwahati and there’s early movement straightaway. Markram leaves the first two, survives an inside-edge onto the pad on the third, and then a hooping inswinger down leg beats everyone to the fence for four byes. South Africa off the mark, India already buzzing.

Bumrah keeps it tight to finish the over. A full one first, Markram presses forward and knocks it straight back. Then a skiddy nip-backer at 137.5kph rushes him on the crease, inside-edge thudding into the pad again. India right on his ribs, Markram hanging in.

Washington Sundar floats one up outside off, tempting Rickelton into the drive, he goes hard, gets a thick edge, and it flies past slip for four. Not controlled, but SA will take every scrap right now.

Bumrah keeps Markram busy at the crease. A short, wide one sees a neat cut to backward point, then two tidy deliveries on and around off stump are met with solid defence into the off-side. India applying the pressure, Markram standing firm.

And just like that, Bumrah strikes at Tea! Markram’s patient innings comes to an end, full delivery, he drives, inside-edge clips the stumps, and India erupts. The opening partnership broken, Bumrah back into the attack and right on the money. Markram gone for 38 off 81. Guwahati fans are loving it.

Kuldeep Yadav weaves his magic! A flighted legbreak drifts in and spins away just enough, Rickelton goes for a lazy drive, edges it straight to Pant, who holds on comfortably. India in full voice, two wickets in four balls! Rickelton falls for 35 off 82.

Siraj keeps Bavuma on his toes. A length ball outside off is left alone, then a fuller delivery is blocked neatly into the off-side. No runs, just steady pressure building from the Indian pacer.

Kuldeep Yadav keeps the pressure, but the batsmen find the gaps. Stubbs steps down the track, gets a bit too close, nudges it to mid-off, and sneaks a quick single. On the next ball, Bavuma works a shorter, quicker delivery to deep midwicket for a single as well. India still hunting, but South Africa picking their moments.

Drinks on the field! South Africa stumbled early after tea with Rickelton’s dismissal, but these two are holding firm, not letting India grab full control. A tense pause in Guwahati as the battle continues.

Bavuma hits a milestone! 1,000 Test runs as South Africa captain, becoming just the ninth South African to reach this mark. He does it in his 20th innings, joint second-fastest alongside Dudley Nourse, only behind Graeme Smith’s 17. A classy achievement in Guwahati.

South Africa reach 156/2 at lunch on Day 1. Kuldeep Yadav struck early, removing Rickelton, but Stubbs and Bavuma steadied the innings with a cautious yet productive partnership. The Guwahati pitch offers true bounce and little help for bowlers, setting up a solid platform for the visitors. Play resumes in 40 minutes.

Jadeja serves one up, Stubbs steps down the track and lofts it over wide mid-on, first boundary of the session. Just enough elevation to clear the fielder and race away for four.

Jadeja strikes right after lunch! Bavuma tries to charge and loft over deep mid-off, but Jaiswal times a perfect dive to take the catch. South Africa lose their captain for 41 off 92, and India finally break the partnership.

Kuldeep Yadav keeps the wickets tumbling! A flighted delivery outside off tempts Stubbs to defend, but he edges it thickly to KL Rahul in the slips, who hangs on this time. Stubbs misses out on a fifty by just one run, falling for 49 off 112. South Africa now have two fresh batters at the crease as India’s spinners continue their strike-rate spree.

Flighted on off, Mulder goes big but mistimes it completely. Doesn’t get the elevation and picks out Jaiswal at mid-off, who takes a safe chest-high catch. Poor shot selection again from South Africa as Mulder follows Bavuma’s mistake. Kuldeep bags his third.

De Zorzi and Muthusamy continue to rebuild steadily for South Africa. De Zorzi looks compact on 22 off 34, rotating the strike well, while Muthusamy is digging in on 10 off 21. India keeping things tight, with the partnership aiming to stabilise the innings after the middle order collapse.

Muthusamy and de Zorzi continue their steady stand, taking South Africa closer to a solid total. Muthusamy moves to 25 off 45, looking increasingly assured with his defence and rotation of strike. De Zorzi, on 28 off 58, is playing the anchor’s role perfectly, showing patience and picking off the loose balls. India searching for a breakthrough as this partnership begins to frustrate them.

Siraj makes an immediate impact with the second new ball! Angles it on a good length, just seaming away outside off. De Zorzi chases it with no footwork, gets a thick edge, and Pant dives low to his left to complete a sharp catch. A well-deserved breakthrough as the 45-run stand is finally broken. De Zorzi departs for 28 off 59.

And this would be the last over of the day as well.

A unique Test milestone: for the first time ever, all top four batters scored 35+ but none reached 50, solid starts, no conversions, and a rare statistical quirk in cricket history.

Stumps on Day 1 as bad light ends play after a well-fought opening day. South Africa began steadily with a fifty stand from the openers before India struck through Bumrah and, later, Kuldeep after tea. Stubbs and Bavuma threatened with an 84-run partnership but both fell in the 40s. Kuldeep continued to trouble the middle order, picking up three. De Zorzi and Muthusamy looked solid late on, but Siraj removed de Zorzi in the final over. India kept things tight throughout and claimed four wickets in the last session to finish the day on top.