India v South Africa | 2nd Test | Saturday 22 Nov to Wednesday 26 Nov | Barsapara Cricket Stadium Guwahati | 5:30am
Even as reigning World Test Champions South Africa are ranked only third in the world. India sit fourth.
South Africa are second on the WTC table at 66.67 percent. India are fourth at 54.17 percent.
Temba Bavuma has yet to lose a match as Proteas skipper. He has led the side in 11 games with ten wins and one draw.
Kagiso Rabada missed the first Test with injury and it is still unclear if he will return in Guwahati. Lungi Ngidi has been called up as bowling cover.
India skipper Shubman Gill suffered back spasms during the first innings of the first Test. He retired hurt and took no further part in the match. India have not confirmed his availability for Guwahati but it looks unlikely. Sai Sudharsan is expected to slot in at number four although Devdutt Padikkal is another option.
If Gill is ruled out Rishabh Pant will captain the side.
Jasprit Bumrah is the top ranked Test bowler in the world but India’s win record dips sharply when he plays. Since his debut at Newlands in 2018 he has featured in 51 Tests of which India won 22 and lost 24. Of the 28 Tests India played without him they won 20 and lost five. That is a win rate of 71.42 percent without him and only 43.13 percent when he plays.
The Proteas have won four of the last five Tests against India. India have won one.
Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium Guwahati
Barsapara has hosted two ODIs and four T20Is, but this will be its first Test.
South Africa have played here once in a high scoring T20I in 2022. They lost by 16 runs while chasing India’s 237 for three despite an unbeaten 106 from David Miller.
Guwahati is in the far Northeast which means daylight starts late and fades early. For the first time tea will be taken before lunch.
Weather
The forecast is clear with no rain expected for all five days. Conditions will be warm and humid with temperatures reaching 27 degrees on days four and five. Light breeze is expected throughout with patchy cloud on days two and four.
Form (most recent first)
India: L W W W D
South Africa: W W L W W
Key players
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal
Jaiswal is India’s highest ranked batter in this series and sits seventh on the ICC list. He averages 49.79 in Tests but was quiet in Kolkata where he scored 12 and 0 after being dismissed twice by Marco Jansen. He has two centuries in his last ten innings, so he is not far from form. Against the Proteas he averages only 10.33 from six innings which will give the visitors confidence.
South Africa: Simon Harmer
Harmer has taken 21 wickets in his last three Tests. The off spinner thrives against lefthanders which suits him well against an India side filled with them. In Kolkata he took eight wickets including six lefties. If Gill is out, he will likely be replaced by Sudharsan or Padikkal both of whom are left-handed. Harmer will welcome that.
Verdict: South Africa
This is a hard match to call because Guwahati has no Test history. It is also unclear what kind of pitch India will prepare after their Kolkata gamble backfired. The Proteas head in with the higher ranked spinner and the higher ranked batter. India boast the top fast bowler but if South Africa can field Rabada and Jansen they will not be far behind. With two Test wins in Asia from their last two matches we are backing a confident Proteas outfit to edge this one.