IND vs SA 2nd Test: India head into the second Test against South Africa feeling the heat. That loss in Kolkata stings. Chasing just 124 at Eden Gardens should’ve been simple, but Simon Harmer had other ideas, and India crumbled to 93 all out. Now South Africa lead 1-0, just one win away from pulling off a rare series victory in India.
Now, everything shifts to Guwahati. India can’t afford another slip, they’re staring at their first home Test series defeat since 2012. If they win, the series is back on at 1-1. But if the Proteas take this, it’s only their second Test series win in India, the last one way back in 2000 under Hansie Cronje. Funny enough, that was Sachin Tendulkar’s last series as captain.
When the match will get start?
The second Test, running from November 22 to 26, brings a bit of history too. Barsapara Cricket Stadium hosts its very first Test match. Because Guwahati sunsets early, play starts bright and early at 9:00 AM IST, tea breaks have been tweaked to squeeze in as much cricket as possible.
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Will Shubman Gill play Guwahati Test?
All eyes are on Shubman Gill and his sore neck. He picked up the injury in the first Test and sat out India’s chase. Nobody knows yet if he’ll recover in time. If he doesn’t, Rishabh Pant steps in as captain for the first time in Tests. Pant already serves as vice-captain, plus he’s led India in T20s and captains Lucknow in the IPL, so he knows the drill.
South Africa came flying high. Temba Bavuma leads a confident team, and after Harmer’s eight wickets and Bavuma’s gritty fifty in Kolkata, you can see why. India, though, has plenty to fix. Their spinners got outclassed, their batting looked shaky, and the pitch they wanted actually backfired.
So, Guwahati sets the stage for a real showdown, high pressure, new conditions, and a shot at redemption for India.
