Senuran Muthusamy scored his first Test century and Marco Jansen smashed 93 to lead South Africa to a dominant 489 all out on the second day of the second Test against India on Sunday.
The left-handed Muthusamy struck 109 and shared a vital 97-run eighth-wicket stand with Jansen, who was dismissed as the final wicket in the last session in Guwahati.
“First innings runs in the sub-continent are vital,” Muthusamy told reporters. “So, yeah, it was just really, really awesome experience out there. And it was just a lot of relief when I got to 100.”
Praising Jansen’s knock, Muthusamy said, “Marco was sublime when he came in. He’s a clean striker of the ball and he really, really showed his skills today. So, that was an awesome treat to watch from the other end.”
After hitting six fours and seven sixes in his 91-ball blitz, Janson pulled a Kuldeep Yadav delivery against his stumps, ending the innings after 151.1 overs.
On a pitch that still looked good to bat at India’s newest Test venue, the hosts trailed South Africa by 480 runs after reaching 9/0 in 6.1 overs at stumps.
In the northeastern city with early sunsets, Yashasvi Jaiswal, on 7, and KL Rahul, on 2, were at the crease when bad light stopped play for the day.
After reaching his fourth Test half-century and surpassing his previous best of 84 not out in the longer format, the 6′ 8″ (2.03m) Jansen defied the Indian attack by hanging on with numbers nine and ten.
Jansen’s seven sixes are the joint-highest in a Test innings against India, matching Shahid Afridi’s tally during his 103 in Lahore in 2006.
The spectators and the dressing room gave Muthusamy a standing ovation as he pounded the air and hoisted his bat to reach his hundred off fast bowler Mohammed Siraj in 192 balls.
He was dismissed shortly after the second break, but Jansen, a left-arm fast and right-hand batter, continued the assault with Simon Harmer (5) and Keshav Maharaj, who was undefeated on 12.
Following a wicketless first session, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja broke an 88-run seventh-wicket partnership when skipper Rishabh Pant stumped Kyle Verreynne for 45. Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin claimed four wickets in the end.
“To be very honest we knew that this is not a track they are not going to roll out very easily and we have to keep disciplined lines and be patient,” said Kuldeep.
“We tried, but as everyone knows Marco Jansen and Muthuswamy batted well.”
After winning the first game of the two-match series, the Proteas, who won the toss and chose to bat on Saturday, are looking to win their first series in India in 25 years.
Earlier, after a quiet opening hour of play in which just 28 runs, including two fours, were scored, Muthusamy and Verreynne tackled spinners with their feet.
Jadeja had Muthusamy out lbw on 48, but the batsman’s review revealed a murmur when the ball passed his glove, therefore the call was reversed.
