If India can bat for next two days, they will be in stronger position, says Kumble
New Delhi, 23 November – Former India great Anil Kumble reckoned that the only realistic way for the visitors to stay in the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati is to bat out the remaining two days. After the hosts’ innings, where Senuran Muthusamy hit his maiden Test hundred (109) and Marco Jansen scored an eye‑catching 93, South Africa were 489 for 6, leaving India at 9‑0 on Day 2 and 480 runs behind.
Kumble stressed that even though the pitch will still be “good for batting,” the Indians must remain disciplined and patient. He added that the surface is expected to start looking a bit more worn‑and‑tender, which would give the spinners a real role tomorrow, but that good batting conditions would still make scoring easy. “For India this match is a must‑win. They’ve already had six hard sessions, and the strategy now is to bat through the next two days. If they can control the third and fourth day, they’ll put themselves in a position to think about the second innings,” he told JioStar after Easter‑Sunday’s play.
Kumble also speculated on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s role for Day 3. “Yashasvi has a job to do, but it’s not necessarily to dominate right from the start. He needs to settle in and get used to the conditions. If he can make it through the first thirty‑forty minutes and handle Jansen’s early spell, the full‑blown version of Jaiswal we know will emerge,” he said.
Earlier in the day India’s bowlers began taking wickets, but they could not break the partnership between Muthusamy and Jansen. Bumrah, Siraj and Jadeja each took two, and Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets. Jansen’s 93 included seven sixes, tying the record for the most boundaries hit by a lower‑order batter in an Indian match. With South Africa posting a score higher than any opening innings total that the Indians have lost when chasing a target, they have a unique chance to win a series in Indian territory.
India’s reply started cautiously, as KL Rahul and Jaiswal thwarted an early assault from Jansen and Wiaan Mulder, before play was interrupted once more by poor light.
Reflecting on Jansen’s rib‑shattering knock, Kumble remarked that the South African’s performance had “completely taken the game away from India… He clearly trusts his batting; he’s carrying more than four bats. He was outstanding against the spinners and even took on the short ball… But it was a fantastic innings, and his partnership with Muthusamy ensured South Africa didn’t just cross 400—they went close to 500.”
The lower‑order bowling of the Proteas turned the match, and Dale Steyn criticized India’s bowling plans. “They stuck with Plan A for too long and didn’t switch to a Plan B or C… On a flatter wicket like this, they needed something different,” the former captain noted. “India’s defensive fielding also allowed South Africa to settle too easily.”
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