South Africa piled on India's misery on the fourth day of the second Test in Guwahati as the Proteas set the hosts a mammoth target of 549 runs to chase down to draw the series. The ball did a lot more on the fourth day than the previous three days, with the rough coming into the equation, apart from the natural deterioration, which meant that the spinners were getting a little more turn, however, the pitch was still very much playable, as Tristan Stubbs showed, having faced 180 balls, scoring 94 runs before getting out on the final delivery of the innings.
Stubbs' 94, combined with contributions from Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi, meant that South Africa amassed 260 runs in their second innings and set India a target of 549, which was the highest set by an opposition against India in home Tests. South Africa broke the 31-year-old record of Australia when the hosts were set a target of 543 runs in the 2004 Nagpur Test and India lost by 342 runs, which still remains the biggest Test loss for the two-time WTC finalists in terms of margin of runs.
Highest target set for Team India to chase in home Tests
549 - South Africa, Guwahati, 2025
543 - Australia, Nagpur, 2004
467 - South Africa, Kolkata, 1996
457 - Australia, Bengaluru, 2004
452 - England, Chennai, 1934
The run-chase seems improbable, but India will have to bat out more than a full day and that will be a daunting task, given that Rishabh Pant and Co were skittled out for 201 in 83.5 overs, and that was when the wicket was still a bit flatter. Indian batters will need to bat out of their skins to play out a draw against some sensational bowling of Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer.
India have already lost a couple of wickets by the end of day's play and the likes of Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja will have to dig deep to avoid a fifth home Test loss in the last seven matches. But either way, South Africa will walk away with the series win, having taken a 1-0 lead in Kolkata last week.
