India face near-impossible 549-run chase to level series vs SA

Team India has been set a daunting target of 549 runs by South Africa to level the two-match Test series in Guwahati. The chase appears near-impossible, far surpassing the highest successful run-chase in Test history (418 runs).

With four sessions left to bat, Team India has been assigned a near-impossible target of 549 runs to chase to level the two-match Test series against South Africa at Guwahati on Tuesday.After Proteas put up a gigantic 489 on the board in the first innings after opting to bat first, India sank to a 288-run deficit after being bundled out for 201 runs. Proteas piled up 260 more runs in 2nd innings for the loss of five wickets before declaring with a lead of 548 runs.

The Uphill Battle Against History

While cricket is a game of uncertainties and anything could happen, this chase looks like not one, but two massive mountains to climb one after the other. The highest successful run-chase in Test history is 418 runs, by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua back in 2003. But no team has ever chased a 400-run plus target in Tests in Asia, with the highest chase being pulled off by West Indies, a chase of 395 runs against Bangladesh way back in 2021 at Chattogram, courtesy of a double century from Kyle Mayers in 310 balls, with 20 fours and seven sixes. The highest run-chase in India is by the Indian team itself, when they chased down 387 against England in Chennai back in 2008, thanks to a brilliant 103* from Sachin Tendulkar and an attacking 83 by Virender Sehwag in just 68 balls to set the tone. Also, the current head coach Gautam Gambhir (66) and Yuvraj Singh (85*) scored fifties in the match.

South Africa's First Innings

Earlier, after the Proteas elected to bat first, none of their top six could touch the 50-run mark despite some fine starts. It was maiden Test ton from all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy (109 in 206 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) and his partnerships with Kyle Verreynne (45 in 122 balls, with seven fours) and a heavy-hitting Jansen (93 in 91 balls, with six fours and seven sixes) taking SA to 489 all out, with Kuldeep (4/115) being the pick of the bowlers for India. India ended their day two at 9/0.

India's Batting Collapse

On third day, a six-wicket haul from pacer Marco Jansen put India on their knees as they succumbed to his height and extra bounce one by one. A 65-run stand between KL Rahul (22 in 63 balls, with three fours) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 in 97 balls, with seven fours and a six) giving out some really positive signs on start of day three However, the journey for next 60-odd runs was horrendous for India, as they collapsed to 122/7, with Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan (15), Dhruv Jurel (0) losing their wickets before Tea.

India's woes continued later on as Jansen got skipper Rishabh Pant (7), Ravindra Jadeja (6), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (10). Washington (48 in 92 balls, with two fours and a six) and Kuldeep Yadav (19 in 134 balls, with three fours) put on a 72-run stand for the eighth wicket to try preventing a follow-on, but Jansen (6/48) bundled them out way before they could reach the required score. Harmer also got three wickets. Proteas, however did not impose a follow-on, ending the day at 26/0.

Proteas Pile on Runs to Set Mammoth Target

On day four, Aiden Markram (29) and Ryan Rickelton (35) put on another fifty-run stand. It was an attacking 49 in 68 balls, with four boundaries and a six by Tony de Zorzi and 180-ball 94 by Tristan Stubbs (with nine fours and a six), which stood out as SA declared with a lead of 548 runs at 260/5. Jadeja did grab a four-wicket haul for India, but the task in hand looks scary for India as they stand at risk of a whitewash. (ANI)

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