Kolkata, November 15, 2025 – The Eden Gardens cricket stadium lived up to its reputation as a graveyard for batters on Day 2 of the India vs South Africa Test, with 27 wickets falling across the first two days.
At stumps, South Africa leads India by 63 runs in their second innings, scoring 93 for seven wickets after posting 159 runs in the first innings. India, meanwhile, was bowled out for 189 in their first innings, highlighting the difficulty batters are facing on a deteriorating pitch.
South Africa’s Batting Struggles
Trailing by 122 runs at the start of Day 2, South African batters struggled to build partnerships. Ryan Rickelton could not negotiate the tricky overs before Tea, and despite counterattacks from Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen late in the innings, the Proteas lost wickets consistently. Simon Harmer shone with the ball, claiming four crucial wickets.
Temba Bavuma stood firm amid the collapse, but South Africa’s middle order failed to stabilize the innings. The visitors now face a challenging chase on a pitch offering turn, bounce, and uneven bounce.
India’s Response
KL Rahul and Washington Sundar adopted a watchful approach during India’s second innings, trying to steady the innings. However, several batters fell after getting starts. Shubman Gill left the field due to a neck twinge and could not return, further weakening India’s batting line-up. By stumps, India led by only 30 runs, reflecting the evenly balanced contest.
Pitch and Player Insights
India’s Axar Patel described the Eden Gardens track as tricky, with uneven bounce and sharp turn. “On such a wicket, you need to attack the stumps and bowl positively,” Patel said, adding that a total of 125 could be an achievable chase on this surface.
Day 2 Summary
The third session of Day 2 was particularly eventful, with six wickets falling in just 28.2 overs and 75 runs scored. A total of 15 wickets fell on the day, as the pitch showed significant deterioration compared to Day 1. The light meter was eventually called, and umpires ended the day’s play at stumps.
With a challenging track and both sides evenly poised, Day 3 promises to be an exciting continuation of this enthralling Test match, starting at 9:30 am IST on November 16.