Marco Jansen etched his name into the history books in Guwahati by becoming the first South African to score a half-century and claim a six-wicket haul in a Test match against India. The 25-year-old’s match-defining figures of 6 for 48, combined with his blazing 93 in the first innings, powered South Africa into a position of complete control and turned India into his personal hunting ground.
His spell now ranks among the finest by a left-arm pacer on Indian soil, a rare feat in conditions that traditionally favour spin. On a surface offering far more assistance to batters than usual, Jansen’s ability to extract bounce, movement and relentless pressure made his performance stand out even more.
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Jansen tops an elite list
Jansen’s effort also placed him in a highly exclusive list of visiting players to score a fifty and take a five-wicket haul in a Test in India since 2000:
- Marco Jansen (South Africa), Guwahati, 2025 – 93 runs & 6/48
- Nicky Boje (South Africa), Bengaluru, 2000 – 85 runs & 5/83
- Jason Holder (West Indies), Hyderabad, 2008 – 52 runs & five wickets
By going one step further with a six-for, Jansen now owns the most dominant of those performances. On a pitch that offered little menace, India’s recurring pattern of batting collapses was once again exposed — and at the centre of it all stood Jansen, taller, sharper, and now a record-holder in Indian conditions.
Jansen began his wicket-taking burst early by removing Dhruv Jurel in the morning session and then ran through the middle order after tea. He accounted for Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja in quick succession, before seeing off tailender Jasprit Bumrah to complete his six-wicket haul, effectively wiping out India’s lower half and sealing the collapse.
India’s familiar collapse
Facing a massive first-innings total of 489, India began their reply with confidence. From an overnight 9 without loss, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul stitched together a steady opening partnership. Jaiswal went on to register his maiden Test fifty against South Africa, while B Sai Sudharsan, drafted in at No. 3 in place of the injured Shubman Gill, looked comfortable at the crease.
The momentum shifted sharply after Jaiswal fell to Simon Harmer, brilliantly caught by Jansen at backward point. Sai Sudharsan followed soon after, sparking a familiar collapse. Brought back into the attack shortly before tea, Jansen struck immediately. Dhruv Jurel miscued a pull to wide mid-on, Rishabh Pant’s aggression cost him his wicket, and both Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were undone by steep bounce. Jasprit Bumrah then edged behind to hand Jansen his sixth wicket of the innings.
Despite Washington Sundar’s fighting 48 and brief resistance from Kuldeep Yadav, India never recovered from the blow. They were bowled out for 201, leaving South Africa with a commanding lead. The visitors chose not to enforce the follow-on, and come back on to bat.
– Ends
Published By:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published On:
Nov 24, 2025
