Can Senuran Muthusamy's Unbeaten 56 Lead South Africa to Victory?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Senuran Muthusamy scored an unbeaten 56 runs.
- Partnership of 70 runs with Kyle Verreynne.
- South Africa reached 316/6 in 111 overs.
- No wickets lost during the first session.
- Muthusamy overturned an lbw decision with UltraEdge.
Guwahati, Nov 23 (NationPress) All-rounder Senuran Muthusamy stood firm, amassing an unbeaten 56 runs off 131 balls as South Africa compiled 316/6 in 111 overs at tea during the second day of the second Test against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Together with Kyle Verreynne, who is not out on 38 off 94 balls, Muthusamy thwarted India’s bowling attack through a steady, unbroken 70-run partnership. The pair appeared largely untroubled by both pace and spin, ensuring the series had its first wicketless session.
In contrast to their batting teammates, who succumbed on day one to expansive strokes, Muthusamy and Verreynne displayed restraint, opting to meticulously grind through the innings against India’s bowlers. Muthusamy, whose roots trace back to Tamil Nadu, exhibited notable composure, scoring predominantly through the square of the wicket, making it difficult for India to secure a breakthrough.
He also encountered some lucky moments—an outside edge off Jasprit Bumrah narrowly evaded KL Rahul at slip, and a missed lbw decision against Ravindra Jadeja was reversed after ball tracking indicated a faint edge off the glove.
Resuming from 247/6, Verreynne propelled South Africa past the 250-run mark with a confident pull shot off Mohammed Siraj, followed by a boundary from Muthusamy off Kuldeep Yadav. Despite India introducing Jadeja into the attack, no breakthroughs occurred as Verreynne cut him late for two boundaries.
Muthusamy faced a tense moment on 48 when he was ruled out lbw by on-field umpire Rod Tucker while sweeping Jadeja. However, he successfully overturned the decision as UltraEdge revealed a faint edge off the glove. Muthusamy then reached his third Test half-century off 121 balls, becoming the first batter in this innings to surpass fifty.
Though South Africa added only 69 runs in 29.1 overs during the first session, the determined defense from Muthusamy and Verreynne effectively kept India’s bowlers at bay, allowing the visitors to strengthen their hold on the match.
Brief Scores: South Africa 316/6 in 111 overs (Senuran Muthusamy 56 not out, Tristan Stubbs 49; Kuldeep Yadav 3-72, Jasprit Bumrah 1-43) against India