'Enough is enough': ’Sack Gambhir’ calls intensify on social media after South Africa dominate India in Guwahati Test

South Africa stamped their authority on India on the ‘Moving Day’ of the second Test in Guwahati, boosting their hopes of collecting what will be only their second Test series victory on Indian soil in 25 years. After posting a mammoth 489 on the board, having batted for nearly two full days, the Proteas attack ran through the Indian batting lineup to bowl the hosts out for just 201.

And it was bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen who played a key role in dismantling the Indian batting lineup after his fiery 91-ball 93 helped the visitors finish within touching distance of 500. The tall left-arm quick collected 6/48 which included a three-wicket burst right after tea in which he got rid of India captain Rishabh Pant as well as all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja.

Sundar and Kuldeep’s resistance soften the blow for Team India

Had it not been for opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sparkling 58 off 97 balls as well as Washington Sundar (48 off 92) and Kuldeep Yadav’s (19 off 134) fighting eight-wicket partnership, India would have struggled to even go past 150. Jaiswal scored the only half-century by an Indian batter so far in this series while Sundar and Kuldeep forged a patient 72-run partnership which ended with the former missing out on his sixth Test fifty by a whisker.

Senior off-spinner Simon Harmer, who had been adjudged the Player of the Match at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens for his match haul of 8/51, was also among the wickets at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium with figures of 3/64. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj had earlier broken the 65-run opening stand between Jaiswal and KL Rahul (22) by having the latter caught at slip.

The Proteas’ superb fielding complemented their clinical bowling effort with Aiden Markram collecting as many as five catches, including a one-handed blinder to dismiss Reddy . Maharaj too had collected a fine catch near mid on to get rid of Dhruv Jurel at the stroke of tea.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma later decided against enforcing the follow-on after collecting a massive 288-run lead. The Proteas ended the day on 26/0 , with openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram batting on 13 and 12 respectively and the lead swelling to 314.

The Rishabh Pant-led hosts now face a Herculean task to simply avoid a defeat in Guwahati, let alone collect a series-leveling win, after getting outplayed by the reigning world Test champions in the first three days of the Test.

Gambhir under more pressure than ever before

The performance naturally evoked strong reactions on social media, with several users echoing the sentiments of Indian cricket icons Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble, who blasted current head coach Gautam Gambhir for the team’s muddle decision-making in the ongoing series that has left them staring at a second home Test whitewash in a little over a year.

Here are some of the reactions: