Muthusamy Holds Firm as South Africa Grits Through a Testing Opening Day
What a fascinating opening day it has been in Guwahati, and right now, the spotlight is quietly but firmly on Senuran Muthusamy. South Africa closed the day at 247 for 6 , and although the scorecard might look modest, the story behind it is full of small battles, hard-fought partnerships, and disciplined bowling from India.
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Muthusamy walked in at a time when the innings could have slipped away. The pitch wasn’t offering anything outrageous, but it demanded patience, especially once the second new ball came into play. His unbeaten 25 off 45 deliveries was crafted with calmness, timing, and just the right amount of risk control. A beautifully clipped boundary off Jasprit Bumrah stood out—an elegant stroke that used the bowler’s pace and angle perfectly. It wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly the kind of innings South Africa needed to steady things late in the day.
Earlier, it had been a stop-start journey for the Proteas. Their top four all got starts, each crossing 35, but none of them managed to convert into a fifty—something that remarkably happened for the first time in Test cricket history. Aiden Markram survived an early scare before falling to Bumrah in the last over before lunch. Ryan Rickelton was removed immediately after tea, and just when Tristan Stubbs and skipper Temba Bavuma looked set to push South Africa into a stronger position, both departed in the 40s. Kuldeep Yadav’s drift and variation caused plenty of discomfort, and he walked away with three crucial wickets.
Tony de Zorzi then joined forces with Muthusamy, and together they brought back some stability, showing good judgement and discipline. But just moments before stumps, the partnership was snapped. Mohammed Siraj, fired up with the second new ball in hand, angled one away that de Zorzi could have safely left. Instead, the bat followed the ball, and Rishabh Pant completed a sharp catch to end de Zorzi’s 28 and break the 45-run stand.
Kyle Verreynne, batting on 1 off 4 , was left to accompany Muthusamy as bad light brought an early end to proceedings. India, despite not getting huge assistance from the surface, bowled with tight lines and struck regularly—four wickets coming in the final session alone to pull the day back in their favour.
So now, with South Africa at 247 for 6 , it’s quite evenly balanced. The visitors will hope Muthusamy and Verreynne can stretch this innings deep into Day 2, while India will aim to shut things down quickly with the still-new ball. Either way, the next session could decide the direction of this Test.
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