 "South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy celebrates after completing his maiden Test century on Day 2 of the second Test against India in Guwahati. AP")
Senuran Muthusamy slammed his maiden Test century on Sunday as South Africa greatly boosted their hopes of collecting a first Test series win on Indian soil in 25 years, thanks to another rearguard from their lower order.
Muthusamy, brought into the South African XI in Guwahati in place of Corbin Bosch, brought up the milestone shortly before lunch on Day 2 with a brace off Mohammed Siraj, consuming 192 deliveries in what has been an assured knock so far.
LIVE | India vs South Africa, 2nd Test in Guwahati, Day 2
Resuming from his overnight score of 25, the spin-bowling all-rounder batted with caution for the most part of the morning session in the company of wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreyne.
India had ended the opening day on a confident note after a flurry of wickets shortly before stumps, and were looking to polish off the lower order and bowl the Proteas out for less than 300.
Muthusamy and Verreyne, however, thwarted India’s bid to collect the remaining four wickets without conceding too many runs, batting through the entire morning session and steering the visitors to 316/6 at tea.
Muthusamy would continue to defy the Indians after Verreyne was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja early in the second session, forging an attacking partnership with bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen, who brought up a milestone of his own in the form of his fourth Test half-century at nearly run-a-ball (53 deliveries) shortly after.
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It was the lower order that had come to South Africa’s rescue in the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi last month. Muthusamy had remained unbeaten on 89 as South Africa posted 404 in response to Pakistan’s first innings score of 333 after being reduced to 235/8 at one stage, with Kagiso Rabada chipping in with a 61-ball 71.
The Proteas would go on to bowl the hosts out for just 138 in their second innings and collect a series-leveling eight-wicket win – their first on Pakistani soil in 18 years.
Their eighth-wicket partnership was worth 94 off just 99 deliveries at lunch on Day 2, with South Africa in a commanding position at 428/7 in 137 overs, staring at the prospect of posting a 500-plus total.
South Africa had won a low-scoring thriller in the first Test at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens earlier this month, bowling India out for 93 after setting them a modest 124 to win. A draw will be sufficient for South Africa to collect their first Test series win on Indian soil since 2000.