Know when was last time India won a Test after conceding 400-plus while fielding first

GUWAHATI(Assam): The Risbabh Pant-led India are having a massive challenge ahead of them after South Africa posted 489 runs in their first innings in the ongoing second and final Test match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday.

With South Africa posting a challenging first-innings score, the question is: when was the last time India won a Test match after conceding 400 runs while fielding first?

The last time India won a Test match after conceding 400-plus while fielding first was against England in Chennai in 2016.

India responded with 759/7d to England’s 477 after a magnificent knock from Karun Nair, who smashed 303*. In the second Innings, England were bundled out for 207 runs as India went on to win by an innings and 75 runs.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja (3/106) took a three-wicket haul in the first innings and a seven haul (7/48) in the second, picking a ten-fer in the match.

In the ongoing second Test, the Proteas won the toss and elected to bat first. Aiden Markram (38) and Ryan Rickelton (35) stitched a solid 82-run stand for the opening wicket.

Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both openers as SA was left at 82/2.

Tristan Stubbs (49 in 112 balls) and skipper Temba Bavuma (41 in 92 balls) chipped crucial runs for South Africa. Kuldeep Yadav (3/72) and Mohammed Siraj (1/73) picked up wickets to end Day 1 as visitors finished at 247/6.

On Day 2, wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne (45), Senuran Muthuswamy (109) – scoring his maiden Test century and Marco Jansen (93) piled up runs for the visitors as they were bundled out for 489 in 151.1 overs.

Indian bowlers had a disappointing outing except for Kuldeep, who picked up a four-wicket haul (4/115 in 29.1 overs). Bumrah (2/75), Mohammed Siraj (2/106) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/94) were among the wicket takers.

With South Africa batting for more than 150 overs, this was only the third instance since January 2017 of Team India fielding over 150 overs in a Test innings.

The two previous ones in the timeframe: England’s 578 in 190.1 overs in Chennai in 2021 and Australia’s 480 in 167.2 overs in Ahmedabad in 2023.
For those unversed, only once has India won a Test match after conceding more than 489 in the first innings. That happened against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in 2003, a game they won by four wickets after the hosts scored 556 batting first.

At stumps on Day 2, India are at 9/0 in 6.1 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal (7*) and KL Rahul (2*) are on strike. (ANI)