South Africa dally with idea of declaration before setting mammoth target of 549 for India
The Chess World Cup is ongoing in Goa, but mind games were happening in Guwahati, where South Africa kept taunting India with the idea of declaration on Day 4 of the second Test.
The visitors batted three sessions before declaring at 260/5, setting a mammoth target of 549 runs, the highest set by a visiting side in India. The logic seems simple: the Proteas wanted to ensure that their total was beyond the reach of India.
The highest total India have ever chased down in Tests is 403, against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1976. At home, India’s best successful chase was 387 runs against England in Chennai in 2008.
But 549? Unless there is a miracle, should India stay in the middle for the rest of the day and bat throughout Day 5, the best result possible is a draw. The series would still be lost, but at least Gautam Gambhir’s management can avoid a clean sweep, like the New Zealanders achieved (3-0) toward the end of last year.
By Tea, South Africa had stretched their lead to 395, which was still a fighting total, but a risky one. So the visitors went on and watched Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs stitch a 101-run stand for the fourth wicket.
De Zorzi was given out lbw to Jadeja on 49, with the lead at 466, which seemed like a good time to declare, but there was no signal from skipper Temba Bavuma.
The wait was for Stubbs, who was batting on 48, to reach his fifty? No, because the SA juggernaut kept rolling and Stubbs went on accumulating runs, before finally being outsmarted by Jadeja for 94. Only then did the declaration arrive.
India lost both openers, Yahashvi Jaiswal (13) and K L Rahul (6) before close of play. The hosts will resume the final day at 27/2, hoping to survive, or achieve the impossible.
South Africa had posted 489 in their first innings and dismissed India for 201. India had lost the first Test at Eden Gardens by 30 runs.
Brief scores: SA 489 & 260/5 dec in 78.3 overs (Tristan Stubbs 94, Tony de Zorzi 49, Wiaan Mulder 35 not out, Ryan Rickelton 35, Ravindra Jadeja 4/62) vs India 201 & 27/2 in 15.5 overs. Stumps on Day 4
