India Reel at 102/4 at Tea as South Africa Maintain Strong Control in Second Test
South Africa tightened their grip on the second Test as India stumbled to 102/4 in 36 overs at tea on Day 3 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Despite a confident start and a composed 58 from Yashasvi Jaiswal, India suffered a dramatic mid-session collapse, leaving the hosts trailing by 387 runs and facing increasing pressure to save the match and stay alive in the series.
Strong Opening Stand Fades Away
India resumed at 9/0, and openers KL Rahul and Jaiswal showed early discipline, negotiating both seam movement and turn. The pair added 65 runs, finding boundaries off Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder while rotating strike effectively.
But the introduction of spin shifted momentum. Rahul’s resistance ended just before the first drinks break when he edged Keshav Maharaj to slip for 22, exposing India to an attack growing confident on a slowing surface.
Jaiswal’s Fifty Not Enough to Halt Slide
Returning at number three, B Sai Sudharsan looked fluent, driving cleanly through the covers twice. Meanwhile, Jaiswal swept and slog-swept confidently to bring up the first Indian half-century of the series, a milestone that highlighted India’s earlier struggles.
However, his innings ended unexpectedly when an attempted late dab off Simon Harmer held up off the pitch, offering a sharp catch to short third man. Sudharsan followed soon after, mistiming a pull to mid-wicket, and the collapse gathered pace.
Three Wickets for Seven Runs Leave India Exposed
The turning point came in a ruthless 20-ball burst where India lost:
Jaiswal
Sudharsan
Dhruv Jurel
Jurel fell for an 11-ball duck, mistiming a pull, leaving the hosts shaken and South Africa firmly on top heading into the break. With:
Rishabh Pant (6)* and Ravindra Jadeja (0)* at the crease, India now rely on their senior players to prevent an innings defeat and avoid surrendering the series.
South Africa’s Commanding Position
Earlier in the match, South Africa’s imposing 489 was built on:
⭐ Senuran Muthusamy – 109
⭐ Marco Jansen – 93
Their lower-order partnership ground down India’s bowlers and established a dominant platform that continues to define the Test.
India’s Task Ahead
To stay alive, India must:
Bat deep into Day 4
Avoid further batting collapses
Force South Africa to bat again
With the pitch slowing and turning, stroke selection and temperament will be crucial.
Brief Scores
South Africa: 489 in 151.1 overs (Senuran Muthusamy 109; Kuldeep Yadav 4-115)
India: 102/4 in 36 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 58, KL Rahul 22)
India trail by: 387 runs
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople
India’s batting collapse has shifted the second Test heavily in South Africa’s favour, and the pressure now falls on experienced names like Pant and Jadeja to mount a fightback. The series remains alive, but India must produce discipline, patience and resolve to avoid conceding another heavy defeat. The next session could decide not just the match, but the momentum of the entire tour.