India‘s batting collapsed third day of guwahati test An old and uncomfortable ghost, the taboo following on home soil, has drawn back. For a team that once treated home Tests like a fortress, it is troubling to see India struggle to survive with the bat only twice. South AfricaA dominating score of 489 and India’s freefall from 95/1 to 105/5 exposed a much wider margin than expected. And although Bavuma ultimately refused to enforce the follow-on after India were bowled out for 201, the damage and embarrassment was immense. It had already happened.
IND vs SA: India’s Guwahati defeat against South Africa freshens old wounds
India’s reply to South Africa’s mammoth 489 all out unfolded in a way that felt both shocking and strangely familiar, recalling the long-buried trauma of Nagpur 2010, the last time India were forced to follow-on on home soil. What started as a steady start turned into a chaotic freefall, with four wickets falling for just ten runs and the entire batting order caught between indecision and fear. From 95/1 to 105/5, India’s innings disintegrated under the sustained pressure of disciplined South African bowling, exposing not only technical flaws but also strategic confusion within the camp.
Absence of Shubman Gillheight of Rishabh Pant Stand-in captaincy and ongoing imbalance in India’s middle order contributed to the collapse, turning a once manageable target into a battle for survival. Even the traditionally reliable home advantage on a turning track could not protect India this time, as the Proteas dictated the pace, tone and rhythm of the Test.
By lunch on the third day, when India’s score stood at 174/7, the threat of a follow-on became more looming, turning a competitive Test into a rescue mission. Bavuma’s eventual decision not to enforce follow-on after India were bowled out for 201 saved India from formal humiliation, but the implication was not: South Africa had comprehensively outplayed them, and India were left hanging by their nails. The psychological toll of getting close to a follow-on on home soil could prove more dangerous than the scoreboard itself.
See also: Aiden Markram hits a one-handed blinder to dismiss Nitish Reddy on Day 3 of the 2nd Test – IND vs SA
IND vs SA: India’s domestic dominance is breaking and there are repeated failures in batting
The Guwahati collapse is not an isolated incident, but another in a series of disturbing patterns that have emerged over the past year. India, once stable on home soil, have now suffered a whitewash at the hands of New Zealand, a crushing defeat in Kolkata and now a near follow-on disaster against South Africa. These trends highlight deeper issues beyond poor seasons, team balance, selection logic and batting weakness.
India’s identity has traditionally revolved around batting prowess on turning tracks, but the recent lineup is neither settled nor suitable for a long Test contest. Constant cuts and changes, over-reliance on inexperienced middle-order batsmen and tactical hesitations have created instability which the visiting teams are exploiting with clinical precision.
In Guwahati, South Africa was not just dominant; They destroyed India’s self-confidence, leaving them in a state of frustration rather than control. washington beautiful And ‘Kuldeep Yadav’Their serious 52-run partnership underlined how the top and middle order had failed to provide the required solidity on home soil.
The need for the Proteas to reach at least 289 to bat again demonstrated how far the innings had derailed. Ultimately, even though South Africa decided not to enforce follow-on and opted to bat again, India’s total of 201 exposed the weakness of a team that once prided itself on being unstoppable at home. The Guwahati Test exposed not only the collapse but also a crisis of planning, confidence and identity.
Here’s how fans reacted:
There is only one team that can win this test from here, and that is definitely not India #INDvSA
— Dodda Ganesh दौड़ गानेश (@doddaganesha) 24 November 2025
Kuldeep Yadav faced more balls in an innings in this series than any other Indian batsman. This pretty much sums up India’s batting on home soil.
– Vijay Anaparthy (@VijayCricketFan) 24 November 2025
You don’t often see a visiting team defeat India with both bat and ball in spin conditions. South Africa once again showed why they are the reigning WTC champions #INDvSA #CricItWithBadri
– S. Badrinath (@s_Badrinath) 24 November 2025
Somehow South Africa has always been able to produce quality cricketers.
This is not even his first game.On the other hand, India cannot produce quality Test batsmen despite all the money.
Strange.– Usman Siddiqui (@UsmanSiddiqui4) 24 November 2025
India should stop playing test cricket. The players have no temperament to play Test cricket…they are only IPL heroes. He scored only 201 runs in @Guwahati…
– Debanand Bhatt (@DebanandBhatt6) 24 November 2025
6 wickets for Jensen, what a match he has had! India all out for 201 with a lead of 288 and South Africa will bat again! Who would have thought, dominating India in our own backyard? #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/Uwoo4eO55V
– Eames (@NaeemahBenjamin) 24 November 2025
When South Africa was batting it felt like it was a batting pitch
When India is batting it feels like a bowling pitch.#INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/9eAn9XXKAt– Uncle Monk (@oldschoolmonk) 24 November 2025
South Africa batting once again.
He saved India from innings defeat.#INDvsSA– CR Fan (@crfan0007) 24 November 2025
This is the ninth time Washington Sundar has saved India from a similar situation, the man’s batting ability and consistency are criminally underrated
– VJ Vishnu (@EnduranceSpin) 24 November 2025
South Africa has taken a huge lead of 288 runs in the first innings by bowling out India for 201 runs.
World champion India heads towards historic Test series win #SAvsIND
– Indoosan (@indoosan) 24 November 2025
See also: IND vs SA: Jasprit Bumrah beats Simon Harmer with a strong Jaffa on the second day of Guwahati Test
