IND vs SA 1st Test: Chasing 124, India’s reply slipped to 58/4 after 25 overs, turning a modest target into a tense examination on a tricky Eden Gardens surface. With only 66 runs left to get, the partnership between Jadeja (16) and Sundar (25)** is now carrying the weight of the chase as South Africa continue to bowl with discipline and intent.
India’s chase of 124 at Eden Gardens has turned into a tense, low-scoring scrap after another collapse on a pitch that has tested batters from the first ball. South Africa were bowled out for 153 in their second innings, with Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten 55 off 136 balls standing as the lone resistance on a surface offering sharp turn and uneven bounce. Ravindra Jadeja led India’s attack with 4 for 50, while the rest of the lineup folded around Bavuma.
India, needing just 124 runs, made a shaky start as Marco Jansen removed Yashasvi Jaiswal for a four-ball duck and KL Rahul for 1, leaving the hosts at 10/2 at lunch. Post-lunch, the pressure climbed higher when Simon Harmer broke through again, removing Dhruv Jurel and later striking the big wicket of Rishabh Pant, who never looked comfortable on the unpredictable surface. With early wickets gone and no batter settling in, India’s chase—small on paper—has turned into a gripping Day 3 battle dictated entirely by the demanding Eden Gardens pitch.
IND vs SA 1st Test: Jadeja’s Four-Wicket Burst Shapes Day 2, but Bavuma’s Fight Keeps South Africa Alive
Day 2 swung decisively under the influence of bowlers as Ravindra Jadeja’s four-wicket burst exposed the difficulty batters faced on a peculiar Eden Gardens strip. The Proteas slipped to 93/7 in 35 overs, leaving them trailing by 63 runs, yet Temba Bavuma’s composed resistance ensured South Africa never surrendered — his knock pushed the visitors past the 100-run mark and anchored a fighting lower-order recovery.
India had resumed at 37/1 and looked to build through a solid partnership between KL Rahul and Washington Sundar, which nudged the total to 75 before the game tilted. Simon Harmer’s introduction proved instant and decisive: he beat Sundar with his first delivery and removed Rahul with the next, even though Rahul still managed a tackling 39 on a pitch that gave batters very little to work with. Shubman Gill’s day was cut short by a neck spasm, underlining how testing batting had become.
Kuldeep Yadav’s twin strikes and Jadeja’s four wickets kept India in the ascendancy, but South Africa’s fight — led by Bavuma and backed by disciplined bowling — kept the contest alive. As Axar Patel noted after stumps, the surface is a study in contrasts from each end; the visitors’ ability to weather pressure and Bavuma’s calm temperament have given South Africa a real chance as the match heads into the crucial final sessions.
Jadeja–Sundar Steady India as South Africa Keep the Pressure Alive
Even as India moved to 58/4 in 25 overs while chasing 124, it was the partnership between Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Washington Sundar (25)** that finally injected a sense of calm into a tense chase. The older, softer ball on this black-soil surface gave batters a fraction more time, and Jadeja used it smartly—nudging singles, sweeping confidently, and refusing to let the scoreboard stall. His natural pace as a batter mirrors the way he bowls, and that rhythm has helped India inch ahead at a steady clip.
South Africa, however, have not switched off for a second. The Proteas’ call to keep a pacer operating from one end continues to be a clever tactic, especially with Maharaj and Harmer sometimes losing their perfect lines when they try to push the pace. Harmer still remains a threat against India’s long list of left-handers, which is why Jadeja’s composure has been so crucial.
This passage of play has turned into a fascinating mini-battle—India rebuilding through rotation and patience, while South Africa hunt for the one breakthrough that could flip the game on its head again.
