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India are closing in on a swift win at the Eden Gardens, with South Africa reduced to seven down in their second innings and leading by just 63 runs. However, the hosts were dealt a major blow after captain Shubman Gill was taken to the hospital on Saturday with a neck spasm, putting his participation in both the Kolkata Test and the remainder of the series in serious doubt. Gill had earlier retired hurt on Day 2 after scoring 4.
South Africa were dismissed for 159 in their first innings, with Aiden Markram’s 31 being the highest contribution. Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball, picking up five wickets. In reply, India managed 189, with KL Rahul top-scoring in the match with 39.
Several Indian batters – Washington Sundar (29), Rishabh Pant (27), and Ravindra Jadeja (27) made promising starts but failed to push on to a fifty.
What a turnaround! India, who looked in control this morning with South Africa reeling at 63/7, now head into lunch with plenty of concerns. Bavuma and Bosch put on 42 runs, with the South African captain playing a brilliant innings on a challenging pitch. Bavuma showcased excellent defensive technique and backed his game from start to finish.
Marco Jansen bowled a tight over to Washington Sundar, starting with a half-volley on the pads that Sundar flicked to midwicket for no run. The South African quick continued to maintain a good length outside off stump, bowling at up to 138kph, with Sundar comfortably blocking each delivery from the crease. Despite testing him with probing deliveries on top of off and slightly fuller lengths, Sundar was content to leave or defend every ball, leaving Jansen’s over go scoreless.
Marco Jansen has now dismissed KL Rahul!
Marco Jansen strikes as he dismisses Yashasvi Jaiswal.
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be looking forward to gain a steady start to their chase.
It is now time for innings break! South Africa have been bundled out at the score of 153.
Siraj strikes again! Keshav Maharaj has to go back!
Maharaj is trapped LBW! Siraj delivers a perfect yorker, and the umpire raises the finger immediately. Review confirms it—ball hits Maharaj on the pad in line with off stump and ball-tracking shows it crashing into middle. Maharaj departs for 0 off 3 balls.
The stumps are left shattered and Mohammed Siraj has dismissed Simon Harmer.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma has survived a close call and the DRS review shows the stumps are missing.
Siraj bowled a probing over to Bavuma, starting with a back-of-a-length delivery steered to third man for a single. He followed up with a series of well-pitched balls outside off and in the fourth-stump channel, which Bavuma either left alone or drove crisply, though none beat the field at short cover. On the fifth ball, Harmer was struck on the pad attempting a leg-side whip, allowing a leg bye, while Bavuma’s punchy shots on the rise were met with tight fielding, keeping the runs in check.
Corbin Bosch falls bowled! Bumrah delivers a sensational delivery to finally break the stubborn partnership — Bosch departs for 25 off 37 balls, hitting 4 fours and 1 six.
Bumrah bowled a probing over to Corbin Bosch, keeping him under pressure throughout. Bosch was beaten twice—first by a short delivery that straightened and then by a well-pitched ball outside off that forced a waft but carried no edge. The batter defended a good-length delivery on off-stump, pushed back on the leg side, and drove a fuller ball to mid-off, only for Siraj to cut off the single. Despite trying to find gaps, Bosch was unable to score off the over, which kept South Africa under control.
South Africa is now successful in getting 100 runs lead.
Jadeja, operating from around the wicket, delivered a steady over that began with Bosch punching a flatter ball through the off-side for a single. Bavuma then blocked a tossed-up delivery back to the bowler before a dramatic moment followed—Jadeja struck him on the back thigh while he attempted a sweep, prompting a loud LBW appeal. India reviewed, but ball-tracking confirmed the delivery had pitched outside leg, upholding the on-field call. Bavuma regrouped to defend another tossed-up ball, then nudged a single behind square. Bosch ended the over by defending on the on-side to a ball angling into middle and leg.
Jadeja kept things tight throughout the over, starting with a fuller ball that Bosch drove to long-off for a single. Bowling to Bavuma with a slip and leg slip in place, Jadeja beat him multiple times—first drawing a leading edge, then ripping one past the outside edge in a close call that narrowly missed off stump. Bavuma defended the next two balls cautiously before finally clipping a straighter delivery off his pads for a single.
Match Starts! Axar Patel weaves his way through spin.
India began the second morning still 122 runs behind with nine wickets in hand, but in six manic hours the match turned on its head. At stumps, India were forcing the pace for victory, having left South Africa effectively 63 for 7 in the second innings. It was one of those days: 15 wickets fell, Shubman Gill retired hurt due to a neck spasm, no batsman got past 39, and the highest partnership was worth 57. Incredibly, this became the lowest top score in the first two innings of any Test in India, and the lowest anywhere since the 2010-11 Durban Test between these two teams. A surface that looked like just another Indian pitch early in the day had turned into a minefield – its top layer started breaking up late on day one, and by day two batting had become near impossible. Even the quicks went on a feeding frenzy, taking 11 of the 26 wickets.
Jadeja showed how decisive even a modest lead could be. Bowling a relentless 13-over spell worth 4 for 29, he left South Africa reeling at 93 for 7. Early in the day, India looked set for a commanding position when KL Rahul the match’s top scorer and new No. 3 Washington Sundar stitched together the joint-highest stand.
The Indian Team suffered a major setback as the skipper Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the match. This has happened after he under medical observation on Saturday night at Kolkata’s Woodlands Hospital following a sudden escalation of neck pain, just hours after he retired hurt during India’s first innings on Day 2 of the opening Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. According to NTDV, the Indian skipper has been in ICU for observation only even though his condition is not critical.
Hello and welcome to the live blog of India vs South Africa 1st Test. The day 3 will be exciting as India is already headed towards a win, now all eyes will be on Proteas if they can make a comeback from this struggling position.
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