Pacer Marco Jansen and off-spinner Simon Harmer combined for seven wickets on the second day of the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, as South Africa battled back to dismiss India for 189 in the first innings.
On a spiteful pitch, Jansen (3/35) and Harmer (4/30) made sure that India’s lead in the first innings was limited to only 30 runs. India resumed their first innings 37/1 at the start of the second day. India’s top scorer was K L Rahul (39), followed by Rishabh Pant (27) and Ravindra Jadeja (27).
Captain Shubman Gill was unable to bat on the second day due to a neck spasm, which made India’s problems worse. He never came back for the remainder of the first inning after getting retired hurt for 4.
Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist spinner, struck early in the second innings to reduce South Africa to 18/1 before tea, giving India a great start. At the stroke of tea, Kuldeep’s fourth delivery trapped Ryan Rickelton leg before wicket.
With that dismissal, the session’s total number of wickets reached six, five of them from India, and the collapsing Eden 22-yard strip came into focus. Batting has gotten more challenging, and hitting a target of 150 might be quite challenging.
The game is finely poised as the surface deteriorates and South Africa’s spinners take advantage of every bit of help. Harmer’s spell has made sure the match is now wide open going into the final session, although India’s slight advantage has kept them in the battle.
Harmer finished with a telling 4/30 while playing relentlessly for 14.2 overs from the Club House End, evoking thoughts of Ravichandran Ashwin’s impact on slow, abrasive surfaces. He persistently targeted India’s six left-handers, dismissing three of them: Washington Sundar (29), Ravindra Jadeja (27), and Axar Patel (16), all of whom are renowned for their hard work and useful contributions.
Harmer’s ability to drift the ball in and turn it away proved crucial, regularly pulling the outside edge or keeping them on the crease. Washington faced 82 balls, while Jadeja and Axar each devoured 45. All three had demonstrated the temperament to survive. He was made even more deadly by the dry surface, which quickly disintegrated with expanding fractures and dust puffs.
From the High Court End, Jansen (3/35) complimented him brilliantly. Using his steep bounce to mop up the lower order, he removed Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav in quick succession, hastening India’s downfall from a promising 138/4 at lunch. The visitors were behind India by 12 runs, but Aiden Markram was undefeated on 3.
Earlier, India lost control at 138 for 4 after lunch, but the spinners pulled South Africa back into the match with a thrilling comeback in the second hour. India resumed at 37/1 and put up a determined stand between KL Rahul and Washington Sundar, who endured a taxing first hour against pacer Marco Jansen’s animosity and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj’s probing accuracy.
Compact in defense and calm in the face of the occasional delivery that kicked or spun, the pair added 57 for the second wicket, increasing their fifty stand off 152 balls.
But with persistent pressure from Maharaj and off-spinner Simon Harmer, who combined for control, bite, and crucial breakthroughs, the visitors, defending a pitiful first innings total of 159, managed to get themselves firmly back into the match.
After the drinks break, the session’s tone drastically changed thanks to seasoned off-spinner Simon Harmer, who opened the floodgates in a crucial 35th over.
First, Harmer dismissed a well-set Sundar for 29 from 82 balls (2×4, 1×6) using a traditional off-spinner technique, which involved creeping the ball in and spinning it away from the left-hander to get the outside edge, which Aiden Markram pouched at slip. After a slog-sweep off Harmer for a boundary, Shubman Gill retired hurt after a three-ball four three balls later.
India captain clutched the nape of his neck after what appeared to be a whiplash during the follow-through, then grimaced as he left.
After a lengthy 16-over stretch, Maharaj struck to dismiss Rahul, who had just attempted to quicken the pace. Overnight 13, the opener, reached 4000 Test runs in the morning before falling for 39 off 119 balls (4×4, 1×6), steering one to Markram at slip as the ball turned and remained low. The catch was verified by the third umpire.
Rishabh Pant’s counterpunch, which saw the left-hander hit Maharaj for a straight six, another over long-on, and unfurling a reverse sweep on his way to 27 off 24 balls (2×4, 2×6), gave India hope for stability just before lunch. However, rookie pacer Corbin Bosch produced a critical strike just before lunch. Bosch’s skillfully aimed bouncer caused Pant to fall, earning South Africa a bonus wicket to end the session.
Officially 138 for 4 at halftime, India was actually five down because it was unclear when Gill would return. In Test cricket, Ravindra Jadeja also reached 4000 runs. He is just the fifth cricketer in Test history to score 4000 runs and take more than 300 wickets.
