The first day of the inaugural Test was an entertaining one at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. South Africa Reached a steady score of 142/2 in 49 overs after electing to bat in the series-deciding second Test Indiawith Rishabh Pant Leading India in the absence of the injured captain Shubman GillBut, the host team came under pressure after the defeat in the Kolkata opener. Jasprit Bumrah The end of the first session produced a trademark moment of magic to shock the visitors. The pitch was expected to provide decent bounce early and turn later, but the early sunset in Guwahati and the unusual schedule of taking tea before lunch led to patient batting and demanding, disciplined bowling in the extended morning conditions.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Aiden Markram with an inswinger on the first day
aiden markram And Ryan Rickelton Made a solid start, carefully settling with the new ball and taking South Africa to 34/0 by the first drinks break in 12 overs, before relieving the pressure by scoring fifty with eight runs to spare in 16.1 overs. Operating with general control, Bumrah repeatedly pinned Markram to the crease with back-of-a-length deliveries, pulled defensive prods and played on his composure through a testing spell that yielded almost nothing. The breakthrough finally came on the last ball before tea in 26.5 overs, when Bumrah bowled full and straight at almost 140 kilometers per hour, turning a ball around which prompted the driving Markram to make a mistake.
Markram, who scored 38 off 81 balls with five fours, could not resist the inviting length, thrashing in the drive only to pull a thick inside edge that cartwheeled past middle and leg stump, sending the Guwahati crowd into a frenzy. The dismissal, recorded as Markram b Bumrah 38 (81), ended an 82-run opening partnership and left the right-handed batsman visibly angry knowing he had toiled hard against India’s leader.
Bumrah’s figures at that time – 10 overs, 5 maidens, 12 runs, 1 wicket with an economy of 1.20 – underline how consistently he had stopped the scoring when setting up an outing, a classic case of pressure translating into wickets. For India, this wicket was doubly important, not only breaking South Africa’s foundation but also validating Pant’s strategy of supporting his key player on a slow surface and helping spin as the match wore on.
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You can’t keep him out of the game!#JaspreetBumrah gives #TeamIndia His first wicket just before tea!
#INDvSA Second test live now 👉 https://t.co/FonCjBDbFl pic.twitter.com/IuSbSmgDYu
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 22 November 2025
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Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs rebuild South Africa’s innings against india
If India were hoping Markram’s wicket would trigger the slide, South Africa responded with composure despite a quick second blow Ryan Rickelton Was out immediately after tea after scoring 35 runs in 82 balls. -Kuldeep Yadav To Rishabh Pant To make it 82/2. At that stage, India felt an opening as Pant turned to a spin-heavy attack that also included Kuldeep Ravindra Jadeja together, supported by washington beautifulHowever, Captain Temba Bavuma And Tristan Stubbs Withstood the pressure coolly, first stabilizing and then gradually leveling the game with a risk-free partnership that left the hosts frustrated.
By the time drinks were taken in the second session, South Africa had reached 129/2 from 42 overs, with Stubbs on 19 and Bavuma on 24, their stand built on soft hands, accurate leave decisions and decisive footwork against both pace and spin. The pair put on a 50-run stand for the third wicket off 94 balls, ensuring that India’s hard work with the ball did not go in vain and setting the Proteas up for a potential 300-plus if they bat deep on day two. In 49 overs, South Africa’s 142/2 – Stubbs 22 not out (61 balls, 1 four, 1 six) and Bavuma 32 not out with four fours off 71 – reflected a day where the visitors’ methodical approach and India’s discipline led to an entertaining, low-scoring wrestling session rather than a run-of-the-mill session.
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