Indian Spinners Struggle as Muthusamy and Jansen Shine for South Africa
In a recent Test match in Guwahati, South African cricketers Senuran Muthusamy and Marco Jansen showed the Indian finger spinners just how tough the conditions can be. With the pitch behaving well for batting, South Africa capitalised by scoring a mammoth total of 489 runs in their first innings. This performance allowed them to take a solid grip on the game, especially since India was trailing 0-1 in the two-match series. When play stopped at the end of the day, India was at nine runs without losing any wickets.
Muthusamy, who had previously scored an impressive 89 not out against Pakistan, went on to achieve his first Test century. He completed the innings with a well-fought 109 runs off 206 balls. Meanwhile, Jansen was nothing short of explosive, hitting a remarkable 93 runs off just 91 balls. Together, the last four South African batters contributed an astonishing 243 runs, demonstrating the depth in their batting lineup.
Muthusamy teamed up with fellow batsman Kyle Verreynne for an important partnership, adding 88 runs for the seventh wicket. Later, he complemented Jansen by adding another 97 runs, further solidifying South Africa’s commanding position. Jansen’s innings included seven sixes, making it a record for an overseas player on Indian soil, surpassing the likes of Viv Richards and Matthew Hayden, who had both registered six maximums in their times.
The South African innings spanned an incredible 151.1 overs, which highlighted the struggles faced by the Indian bowlers. Each of the five specialist bowlers had to bowl more than 25 overs during this innings, a clear sign of their inability to contain the scoring. Rishabh Pant’s captaincy lacked a backup plan, and the pitch at Barsapara Stadium showed no signs of assisting the bowlers.
Kuldeep Yadav was the only bowler who managed to strike with some effectiveness, capturing four wickets for 115 runs in 29.1 overs. However, his approach seemed to shift away from his initial strategy, with many deliveries being bowled quicker than preferred. This change not only diminished his effectiveness but also allowed Muthusamy, Verreynne, and Jansen to read him easily.
Where the Indian bowlers faltered, especially the finger spinners, was in their attempts to contain runs. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar did not enjoy the performance expected from them, with Jadeja’s figures reading 2 for 94 in 28 overs and Sundar finishing with 0 for 58 in 26. Their inability to take wickets from pitches that lacked substantial spin raised doubts about their effectiveness in such conditions.
As the game progressed into the second day, the batting conditions seemed even more favourable. Jadeja and Sundar struggled as the pitch offered minimal turn or bounce, and their efforts to rush the batters didn’t yield the desired results. Jasprit Bumrah stood out as he led the attack effectively with figures of 2 for 75 in 32 overs but could not manage to maintain momentum due to the lack of support from the other bowlers.
The struggle of the finger spinners points to a larger trend within the Indian cricket team, which has seen a preference for turning tracks over the years. Both Jadeja and Sundar have been primarily active in shorter formats of the game, which has potentially impacted their ability to bowl with the kind of finesse required in Test cricket. The fast-paced nature of T20 cricket often leads to bowlers concentrating on speed rather than the capacity to deceive the batsman through flight and drift.
When Muthusamy and Verreynne weathered the initial storm, the second session became much easier for the South African batsmen. Jansen’s aggressive approach demoralised the Indian bowlers, making it difficult for them to regain control. The Indian team now looks towards its own batsmen to capitalise on the favourable batting conditions and claw back into the match.
Historically, India has managed to win Tests even when an opposing team has posted more than 450 runs. A memorable instance of this occurred in Chennai back in 2016, where Karun Nair’s remarkable triple century enabled India to chase down England’s first innings total of 477. Jadeja had played a crucial role back then by taking seven wickets in England’s second innings. As the match unfolds, fans hope that Jadeja can replicate such magic under similar conditions.
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Original Text – https://www.deccanchronicle.com/flop-show-by-indian-spinners-as-muthusamy-jansen-seize-control-for-sa