IND vs SA 2nd Test: Markram-Rickelton partnership puts SA ahead before Bumrah gets breakthrough (Day 1, Tea)

GUWAHATI: An 82-run stand between openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton ended at the stroke of tea, ending the first session of day one of the second Test between India and South Africa at Guwahati with one Proteas wicket down on Saturday. At the end of the day’s play, SA were 82/1, with Rickelton (35*) unbeaten.

Opting to bat first, South Africa got some freebies from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the first two overs as byes. Other than these two extras, Bumrah and Siraj kept bowling tight lines and lengths, with Aiden Markram getting only a boundary each against both during the first 10 overs, at the end of which SA was at 26 at no loss of wickets.

Two successive boundaries by Rickelton against Siraj helped the Proteas end the first hour of the play on a high, with a score of 34. Runs started to flow after the drinks break, as Rickelton collected a boundary each against Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar. With the help of a single from Markram, SA touched the 50-run mark in 16.1 overs.

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In the 17th over, Markram put pressure on a young Nitish with two fours, first being through the fine leg region and second being drilled through the extra cover region. The duo collected boundaries against spin, bringing Proteas into the 70s without any wickets lost. India did not have any answers to this opening pair’s resilience and technique at the crease.

It was Bumrah who ended India’s search for a wicket, disturbing Markram’s middle stump, removing him for an 81-ball 38, with five fours. SA was 82/1 in 26.5 overs, and tea was taken on that note. South African skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first in the second Test against India at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Team India is already 1-0 down in the series. With this series being of just two matches, it is important that they win this match to avoid another series loss in back-to-back years. Currently, India is on a four-match losing streak at home in Tests against South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) at home, having endured a first-ever humiliating whitewash by New Zealand just last year. This is also the first Test being held in Guwahati, making it a historic moment in Indian cricket.

India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj. (ANI)