Guwahati, Nov 23 (NationPress) Kuldeep Yadav, who recorded impressive figures of 4/115 in the first innings, referred to the pitch at ACA Stadium as a “genuine road” after the Indian bowlers faced challenges on Day 2 of the second Test.

South Africa set a daunting total of 489 in their first innings, largely due to Senuran Muthusamy’s remarkable 109 – his first Test century – and Marco Jansen’s formidable 93. Their performances significantly bolstered South Africa's position to potentially secure a win.

“The wicket in Kolkata was different; this is a road,” Kuldeep stated during a press conference on Sunday. “It is quite difficult, which is why it is labeled a Test wicket. Such situations don’t arise for bowlers every day. You hope to dominate, but on a good wicket, it’s crucial to figure out how to rebound. We had good control yesterday, but a partnership in one session caused us to lag behind.”

India's openers, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, ensured a steady start, finishing at 9/0 in 6.1 overs at the end of Day 2 against South Africa at Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Deteriorating light conditions led to an early conclusion of play, with India trailing by 480 runs.

“It was a challenging wicket for the bowlers; I didn’t perceive much assistance, even for fast bowlers. However, this is Test cricket, and you must relish it. The more experiences you gather, the more you grow as a player; overthinking the wicket isn’t beneficial,” he added.

Kuldeep ended with four wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja each took two. Simon Harmer was the only South African batsman not reaching double figures in a strong display from the Proteas.

The final session commenced with Siraj finally breaking through as Muthusamy attempted a hook shot but failed to keep it down, leading to his dismissal at fine leg, concluding his outstanding innings of 109.

“I sensed a bit of moisture in the wicket during the first session yesterday, allowing for some turn. Post that, it became excellent for batting,” Yadav remarked. “There wasn’t much turn yesterday or today. Jadeja and I have discussed this; the wicket is quite favorable for batting.”

“While an aggressive mindset is essential, you must comprehend how the wicket is behaving; you can’t just attack recklessly and concede runs,” he cautioned.

Jansen continued to assert his dominance, launching two massive sixes off Jadeja and securing a four and a six off Siraj to propel South Africa past 440, before Bumrah dismissed Simon Harmer. Jansen kept finding boundaries and was involved in a resilient last-wicket stand of 18 runs with Keshav Maharaj.

Despite falling agonizingly short of his maiden Test century at 93, Jansen’s innings featured seven sixes, equaling the joint-highest number for a lower-order batter in India. With South Africa’s score exceeding any first-innings total that resulted in a loss for a Test in India, they are well-positioned to pursue a rare series victory on Indian soil.

“Everything is fine,” he commented. “I mean, to lead, I need to be the captain, and I’m delighted with how I bowled; we had 4-5 bowlers, all of whom performed admirably. You must keep altering your approach and can’t just bowl from one end; I have no issues with that. I bowled 30 overs (29.1); 30 overs is commendable for any wrist spinner.”

With Jansen and Wiaan Mulder delivering economical bowling, India remained cautious until the stumps. With three days remaining in the match, India faces immense pressure to level the series and avoid a second consecutive series loss on home soil.