The 2nd India vs South Africa Test saw a unique first in the 148-year history of the longest format of the game. Tea was taken before lunch for the first time in a regular Test match on Saturday. In day-night Tests, tea is taken before dinner, but Guwahati, hosting its first-ever Test match, set a new precedent. The unusual decision was due to the early sunrise and sunset in the northeastern part of India. As a result, the first session of the Test match was played between 9 AM and 11 AM, followed by a tea break from 11 AM to 11:20 AM.
Talking about the first session of play, an 82-run stand between openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton ended at the stroke of tea, concluding the first session of day one of the first Test between India and South Africa at Guwahati, with one Proteas wicket down on Saturday. At the end of the day's play, South Africa was 82/1, with Rickelton unbeaten on 35*.
Opting to bat first, South Africa got some freebies from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the first two overs as byes.
Other than these two extras, Bumrah and Siraj bowled tight lines and lengths, with Aiden Markram managing only one boundary each against them during the first 10 overs, at the end of which South Africa was 26 without loss of wickets.
Two successive boundaries by Rickelton against Siraj helped the Proteas end the first hour of play on a high, with a score of 34.
Runs started to flow after the drinks break, as Rickelton collected a boundary each off Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar. With the help of a single from Markram, South Africa reached the 50-run mark in 16.1 overs.
In the 17th over, Markram put pressure on young Nitish with two fours, the first through the fine leg region and the second through extra cover. The duo added more boundaries against spin, bringing the Proteas into the 70s without losing any wickets. India had no answer to this opening pair's resilience and technique at the crease.
It was Bumrah who ended India's search for a wicket, disturbing Markram's middle stump and dismissing him for an 81-ball 38, with five fours. South Africa was 82/1 in 26.5 overs, and tea was taken on that note.
South African skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first in the second Test against India at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Team India is already 1-0 down in the series. With this being a two-match series, it is crucial that they win this match to avoid another series loss in back-to-back years. Currently, India is on a four-match losing streak at home in Tests against South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA), having suffered a first-ever whitewash by New Zealand last year. This is also the first Test being held in Guwahati, making it a historic moment in Indian cricket.
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj