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Team India is staring at one of the toughest run-chases in Test history after being set a daunting target of 549 runs by South Africa in the second Test at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. With four sessions remaining in the match and the series on the line, India will need nothing short of a miracle to avoid defeat and level the two-match contest.
The scale of the challenge is unprecedented. The highest successful chase in Test cricket is 418, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in 2003. In Asia, no team has ever successfully hunted down a total beyond 400, with the region’s best pursuit being the 395-run chase by the West Indies in Chattogram in 2021, powered by Kyle Mayers’ incredible double hundred.
India’s highest-ever fourth-innings chase at home came in 2008, when Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 103 guided the team to 387 against England in Chennai, supported by Virender Sehwag (83 off 68), Gautam Gambhir (66), and Yuvraj Singh (85*). The mountain facing India in Guwahati is far steeper.
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Cricket latest South Africa Take Control Early
South Africa laid the foundation for their match dominance with a first-innings total of 489 after electing to bat. Interestingly, none of their top six reached a half-century, but valuable starts provided the platform for a middle-order surge. All-rounder Senuran Muthusamy scored his maiden Test century, making 109 off 206 balls with 10 fours and two sixes. His partnerships with Kyle Verreynne (45) and Marco Jansen, who smashed 93 off only 91 deliveries, were instrumental in pushing South Africa beyond the 450 mark. For India, Kuldeep Yadav finished with figures of 4/115, while support from others remained limited.
Cricket latest India’s Batting Falters Under Pressure
Resuming at 9/0, India’s innings spiralled rapidly on Day 3 after a promising start. A partnership worth 65 runs between Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) and KL Rahul (22) briefly steadied the innings, but the momentum swung completely in South Africa’s favour when wickets began tumbling in clusters.
Paceman Marco Jansen delivered a standout spell, finishing with a superb 6/48. His ability to extract extra bounce off the surface troubled batters throughout. Simon Harmer caused further damage, claiming three wickets.
India slumped to 122/7, losing key batters including Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan (15), Dhruv Jurel (0), and skipper Rishabh Pant (7). A fighting partnership of 72 runs between Washington Sundar (48) and Kuldeep Yadav (19 from 134 balls) offered resistance, but India were eventually bowled out for 201, leaving them 288 runs behind.
Despite the deficit, South Africa opted against enforcing the follow-on, ending Day 3 at 26/0.
Cricket latest Proteas Strengthen Grip With Declaration
On Day 4, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put together another fifty-run opening stand before India finally made a breakthrough. Tony de Zorzi chipped in with a brisk 49 off 68 balls, while Tristan Stubbs fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 94 off 180 deliveries.
South Africa declared at 260/5, taking their overall lead to a massive 548 runs. Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets, but the Proteas had already done the damage.
Cricket latest India Staring at Whitewash and History
With four sessions of cricket left and the pitch offering uneven bounce, the target appears unrealistic, bordering on impossible. Beyond the scoreboard, India also faces the psychological weight of avoiding a series sweep on home soil. Test cricket has produced its share of drama and unlikely comebacks, but if India is to achieve this chase, it would surpass every fourth-innings pursuit ever seen, not only in Asia but in the entire history of the format.
For now, survival, not victory, may become the primary focus.
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