Domination on Display: Muthusamy and Jansen Dismantle India’s Bowling to Elevate South Africa

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Even in its most optimistic scenarios, South Africa couldn’t have foreseen the dramatic events of the second day of the Guwahati Test. Beginning the day at 247 for six, the Proteas thwarted an ineffective Indian bowling effort for nearly three entire sessions, amassing an imposing first-innings total of 489 and dampening the spirits of a sizable weekend audience.

The catalyst for South Africa’s remarkable batting performance on Sunday was two standout innings: Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden Test century and Marco Jansen’s aggressive 93 off 91 balls.

India’s bowlers struggled without success on the placid ACA Stadium pitch, which offered little assistance to either spinners or pacers.

In response, openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal saw out the remaining 30 minutes of play, reducing India’s deficit by nine runs.

Earlier, Muthusamy batted with authority that belied his limited Test experience—this being only his eighth match. The left-hander effectively countered India’s fast bowlers, particularly Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, with strong front-foot defense. Against the home spinners, he relied on back-foot play, frequently maneuvering the ball behind square on the leg side for easy singles.

The 31-year-old remained in control until he was eventually dismissed by Siraj’s short-ball tactic in the final session. His only stroke of luck came when a third-umpire review overturned an LBW decision, showing a faint edge on the snickometer, allowing him to continue amassing runs.

Muthusamy’s innings was pivotal for South Africa, bridging two contrasting strategies on Sunday: a morning of cautious accumulation followed by an aggressive onslaught in the afternoon.

Kyle Verreynne provided steadiness in the first phase, while Marco Jansen brought explosive power in the second. Jansen continued to attack even after Muthusamy’s dismissal, significantly advancing South Africa’s position in the match.

The tall all-rounder exploited his reach with lofted strokes, targeting long-on and deep mid-wicket. He smashed seven sixes, the most by a visiting batter in a Test innings in India, four off Jadeja alone.

Jansen’s batting fireworks helped South Africa recover after a slow morning session, where they scored 69 runs at a rate of 2.36 per over, prioritizing safe shots.

Unable to create wicket-taking opportunities, Indian captain Rishabh Pant was compelled to spread his field, allowing Muthusamy and Verreynne to collect easy singles up to the Tea break.

Jadeja eventually broke Verreynne’s concentration, stumping him as he advanced down the pitch. This dismissal, however, triggered an aggressive shift in South Africa’s strategy, with Muthusamy and Jansen launching an adventurous innings that pushed South Africa into a dominant position.

Historically, no team has amassed such a huge first-innings total in India and then lost the match—a statistic that will likely surface repeatedly in the coming days. It’s also one that should give South Africa confidence as they pursue a historic series victory.

Published on November 23, 2025.