You know those moments in Test cricket that make your heart stop? The ones filled with so much drama you can’t look away? Well, the fifth day of the Guwahati Test between India and South Africa delivered just that. With Team India staring down the barrel of a defeat, facing a mountain of 549 runs to win, a single moment of high drama involving a no-ball gave them a glimmer of hope they desperately needed.
Key Highlights
- ✓ A dramatic no-ball from Marco Jansen saved Sai Sudharsan after he was caught behind.
- ✓ India faces a monumental task on Day 5 of the Guwahati Test, needing to bat out the day to save the match.
- ✓ Sudharsan, playing in place of the injured Shubman Gill, is under immense pressure due to a string of poor performances.
- ✓ The 24-year-old batsman has scored just 288 runs in 10 Test innings with an average of only 28.80.
- ✓ South Africa leads the two-match series 1-0 and is in a dominant position to win the second Test.
The No-Ball That Shocked Everyone
Picture this: It's the second over of the final day. The pressure is immense. India is already on the back foot, just trying to survive. The towering six-foot-seven-inch South African pacer, Marco Jansen, who had already taken six wickets in the first innings, is bowling with venom. He sends down a good-length delivery in the 19th over.
The young Indian batsman, Sai Sudharsan, tries to defend but gets a faint outside edge. The ball flies straight into the gloves of the wicketkeeper, Kyle Verreynne. The umpire's finger goes up, the South Africans are celebrating, and a dejected Sudharsan begins his long walk back to the pavilion. It looked like the perfect, disastrous start to the day for India.
But then, just as all hope seemed lost, a siren blared across the stadium. The unmistakable sound of a no-ball check. Everything paused. The third umpire reviewed the delivery, and the replay showed it clear as day: Jansen had overstepped. His front foot was well over the crease. The field umpire's decision was overturned, and Sudharsan, who was almost back in the dressing room, was called back to the crease. What an incredible turn of events!
A Career on the Line
While the no-ball gave Sudharsan a second chance in the innings, it also put a spotlight on his larger struggle in Test cricket. The 24-year-old is currently playing in his sixth Test, having gotten his spot back in the playing XI only because of an injury to captain Shubman Gill. The pressure on him to perform is enormous, and frankly, he hasn't quite delivered.
In the first innings of this very Test, he was dismissed for just 15 runs off 40 balls by Simon Harmer. His dismissal put immense pressure on the rest of the batting lineup, which then crumbled. Despite his strong performances in domestic cricket and the IPL that earned him a spot on the England tour for his debut, he has failed to prove himself in the longest format of the game.
It feels like the team management and the BCCI have shown a lot of faith in him, giving him repeated opportunities. Yet, his bat has remained quiet. Some are even starting to say he's becoming a bit of a "burden" on the team, unable to solidify that crucial number 3 position.
Following in the Footsteps of Giants
Let's be honest, batting at number 3 for India is no small task. It's a position that defines the direction of an innings, a spot once held by legends like Cheteshwar Pujara and the great Rahul Dravid. These players built careers on absorbing pressure and scoring big runs, winning countless matches for India. So far, Sudharsan has struggled to carry that legacy forward.
Looking at his Test journey, the numbers tell a tough story. Across 6 Tests and 10 innings, he has managed to score only 288 runs. His average sits at a meager 28.80, which is considered very low for a top-order Test batsman. He has just two half-centuries to his name.
His debut tour in England was a complete flop, with scores of 0, 30, 0, 61, 11, and 38 across three matches. He then played two Tests against the West Indies, scoring just 7 in the first match but showing a flash of potential with scores of 39 and 87 in the second. But after being dropped for the first Test against South Africa, his return in Guwahati has once again ended in disappointment, breaking the trust of the selectors.
The Bigger Picture: India's Uphill Battle
Sudharsan's struggle is just one piece of a much larger puzzle for Team India in this Test. The situation in Guwahati is grim. South Africa completely dominated the first few days, batting for two days to post a colossal total of 489 runs. In response, India's batting lineup folded for less than 150 runs in their first innings. Apart from a fighting 58 from Jaiswal, no one else could stand their ground.
The South African bowlers were relentless. Marco Jansen was the chief destroyer in the first innings with 4 wickets, while Simon Harmer chipped in with 2 and Keshav Maharaj took one. By the second session of Day 3, India was reeling at 171 for 7, with Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav at the crease. With two full days of play remaining, India was in deep, deep trouble.
This match is critical, as South Africa is already leading the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Kolkata by 30 runs. India failed to chase 124 runs in that final innings. Now, on the last day in Guwahati, their only realistic goal is to bat through the entire day to force a draw and avoid a series whitewash.
Conclusion
The final day in Guwahati has been a rollercoaster, defined by that one heart-stopping no-ball moment. While it gave Sai Sudharsan and India a massive lifeline, it also highlighted the intense pressure the young batsman is under to justify his place in the team. Despite his gritty defense, his failure to convert the second chance into a significant score speaks volumes about his current form.
Ultimately, this Test is a stark reminder of the fine margins in cricket and the monumental challenge India faces to save the match. For Sudharsan, time might be running out to prove he belongs at the highest level, while for Team India, it's a desperate fight for survival against a dominant South African side.
