IND v SA, Guwahati Test: Day 1 Embraces Classic Attritional Test Battle

On the opening day of the second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati on Saturday, both teams put up a competitive fight. South Africa closed the day at 247 for six.

Indian assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, emphasized the significance of picking up crucial wickets at key moments to keep the game in balance.

“I thought both sides performed admirably. We maintained our focus expertly. Just when the game seemed to be slipping away, we managed to regain control,” ten Doeschate mentioned in the press briefing after Day 1.

Match Report: Guwahati offers rare balance as India-South Africa share opening day

“[Jasprit] Bumrah’s wicket before the first break and Kuldeep’s [Yadav] immediately afterward, along with the last wicket of the day, skewed the match to an even stance. It was intense effort, and the first-innings runs are crucial,” ten Doeschate added.

The pitch in Guwahati has been consistent, particularly in terms of bounce. Saturday marked the first instance in this series where a team surpassed 200 runs.

“Yes, the pitch is very different from Kolkata. We anticipated a better-playing surface. It felt somewhat lifeless, but as Tristan Stubbs pointed out, it was challenging to score. It was classic attritional Test cricket,” observed Ten Doeschate.

The Indian coach expects the pitch to hold up as the match progresses.

“There’s no sign of the Guwahati pitch deteriorating. It played well, and hopefully, it continues to offer balance for both teams to capitalize on their first-innings scores. We examined it closely; though there are some foot and ball marks, it doesn’t appear dry or cracking. Fingers crossed it remains favorable for the coming days,” he stated.

Additionally, Ten Doeschate explained the decision to include Nitish Kumar Reddy over Axar Patel in the squad.

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“We anticipated some movement in the morning. Selecting only two seamers would necessitate early reliance on spinners, complicating the captain’s strategy. Opting for a specialist seamer would decrease our batting strength. We chose to include the bowling all-rounder [Nitish], confident in his ability to contribute significantly in runs. Although today didn’t demand an extra seamer, we believe the current balance is optimal with four days left in the Test,” Ten Doeschate explained.

Published on November 22, 2025