India’s bowlers endured a tough outing in Guwahati as South Africa built a commanding first-innings total on a pitch that offered little help across two days. After reducing the visitors to 247/6 on Day 1, India hoped to wrap up the innings under 300. Instead, South Africa’s lower order mounted a strong resistance, stretching the score to a daunting 489 and pushing India into a difficult position.
Speaking after Day 2, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav admitted that the conditions tested bowlers far more than expected. He noted that the surface in Guwahati only grew flatter with time, turning the match from an opportunity for domination into a battle for survival and patience.
Comparing it with the previous Test venue, Kuldeep said the Kolkata track offered far more assistance. In contrast, the Guwahati pitch “felt like a complete road,” making wicket-taking extremely challenging. He emphasised the importance of adapting quickly instead of complaining about conditions, adding that such phases are part of the reality of Test cricket.
The struggle was not limited to spinners alone. Even India’s pacers found little deviation once the ball softened, enabling South Africa’s lower-order pair of Jansen and Muthusamy to settle comfortably and push the score further beyond India’s reach. Kuldeep explained that the early moisture on Day 1 created some opportunities, but once it dried out, the pitch turned into an ideal batting surface with almost no turn available for him or Ravindra Jadeja.
Despite the adversity, Kuldeep urged a positive mindset—accepting difficult surfaces, learning from them, and trusting that future Tests may offer more favourable conditions. With the match slipping away, India now face the challenge of clawing back momentum without dwelling on the nature of the wicket.
