KOLKATA, India – A devastating spell of spin bowling from Ravindra Jadeja has left India needing just three wickets to wrap up a comprehensive victory after a bruising, chaotic, and utterly compelling second day in the low-scoring first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
On a surface offering unpredictable bounce and sharp turn, Jadeja’s four-wicket burst in the final session ripped the heart out of South Africa’s second innings, reducing the visitors to a precarious 93 for 7 at stumps. They hold a fragile lead of just 63 runs, with captain Temba Bavuma (29*) their only beacon of hope in a batting card littered with failures.
The day began with the match tantalizingly poised, but it was India who seized the initiative early. Resuming on 37-1, they looked to build a commanding first-innings lead. However, South African off-spinner Simon Harmer (4-30) had other ideas. With impeccable control and subtle variations, he dragged his side back into the contest, exploiting the widening cracks in the pitch.
The innings saw moments of defiance. Washington Sundar (29) launched a bold counter-attack, striking Keshav Maharaj for a clean six, but his aggression was short-lived. The major subplot, however, was the worrying sight of Indian captain Shubman Gill, who after finally getting off the mark with a boundary, immediately clutched his neck and had to retire hurt on four, leaving his team effectively a batter short.
The electric return of Rishabh Pant (27) from injury provided the day’s most thrilling passage. From the moment he arrived at the crease, he challenged the bowlers, surviving a sharp caught-and-bowled chance off Maharaj before disdainfully launching the very next delivery over mid-off for a spectacular six. While Maharaj eventually won his duel with the dogged KL Rahul (39), Pant’s aggressive intent seemed to have shifted the momentum.
Just as India threatened to run away with the game, Corbin Bosch provided a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Pant with a well-directed bouncer that was feathered to the keeper. Jadeja (27) contributed valuable runs, but a chronic lack of substantial partnerships meant India were bowled out for 189 just before tea, securing a modest but potentially decisive 30-run lead.
That lead swelled in significance the moment South Africa’s second innings began. The left-arm duo of Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav operated in a chokehold. After Yadav provided the initial breakthrough, removing Ryan Rickelton for 11, Jadeja (4-29) took center stage.
In a spell of relentless accuracy and subtle turn, he was simply unplayable. He sliced through the Proteas’ top order, with batters looking utterly bewildered by the combination of his trajectory and the variable bounce. Wickets fell in a clatter, and the collapse left the touring side staring into the abyss.
With only Bavuma showing the application required for the conditions, South Africa’s resistance appears to be on life support. Barring a miraculous last-wicket stand or a dramatic weather intervention, India are poised to clinch a resounding three-day victory on Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and underlining their dominance in home conditions.
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