The Guwahati Test has been dominated by one man—Marco Jansen. Yesterday, the South African all-rounder rescued his team from a precarious situation with a blistering innings. But Jansen was far from done. On day three, he demonstrated his lethal ability with the ball, putting India under immense pressure.
India started the day attempting to rebuild. Rishabh Pant fell cheaply for six, but a solid partnership between Jayaswal and Lokesh Rahul added 65 runs. Jayaswal scored a well-constructed 58, while Washington Sundar contributed 48 and Kuldeep Yadav offered resistance with a patient innings.
Yet, Jansen’s bowling tore through the Indian line-up. India collapsed from 96/3 to 201 all out, losing six wickets for just 27 runs. Jansen finished with spectacular figures of 6/48, including four wickets purely from bouncers. Former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan described it as “one of the finest fast-bowling spells on Indian soil.”
In the final session, South Africa, having scored 489 in the first innings, batted again and reached 26 without loss in eight overs. Ryan Rickelton was 13* and Aiden Markram 12* at stumps, leaving India trailing by a massive 314 runs.
Jansen’s brilliance extends beyond bowling. He had scored 93 off 91 balls in the first innings. Today, he displayed how fast bowling should be executed on subcontinental pitches.
Match Summary
| Team | Innings | Runs | Key Scorers | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 1st | 489 | Rickelton 13, Markram 12* | — |
| South Africa | 2nd | 26/0 | Rickelton 13*, Markram 12* | — |
| India | 1st | 201 | Jayaswal 58, Washington 48, Rahul 22, Kuldeep 19 | Jansen 6/48, Harmer 3/64, Maharaj 1/39 |
After dismissing Rishabh Pant, Jansen celebrated with his teammates. India now trails by 314 runs, and the South African all-rounder has firmly stamped his authority on the match with both bat and ball.
Day three in Guwahati has confirmed that Marco Jansen is a dual threat—capable of dismantling Indian batting line-ups while also contributing heavily with the bat. His all-round performance has made him the standout player of the series so far.