IND vs SA, 2nd Test, Day 3: India in trouble after top order collapse in Guwahati

South Africa ran through the Indian top order to dominate the proceedings in the first session on Day 3 of the ongoing second Test between the two sides at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Monday. Spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer picked up three of the four wickets between them to reduce India to 102/4 at Tea on Day 3, trailing South Africa by a huge margin of 387 runs.

It was a terrible top-order collapse for the hosts as India lost four wickets inside 37 runs to go from 65/0 to 102/4 in their first innings on Day 4. Having resumed their innings on 9/0 on Day 3, India looked in control when openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were going strong in the middle. However, the hosts ended up losing a flurry of wickets after the partnership was broken.

The openers added 65 runs for the first wicket before Maharaj drew the first blood for the Proteas by dismissing Rahul on 22. The right-hander ended up edging one to Aiden Markram at slip and was sent packing after India enjoyed a strong first hour in the morning session. Rahul's wicket sparked a mini collapse as India lost three more wickets before Tea.

With spinners getting purchase off the wicket and the ball turning significantly, the South African spinners dominated the proceedings in the second hour to dismantle India's top order. After Rahul's departure, Jaiswal held one end strongly and went on to complete his half-century. However, he failed to convert it into a big knock as he was outfoxed by Harmer on 58.

Jaiswal ended up getting caught by Marco Jansen as his 30-run second-wicket stand with no.3 Sudharsan came to an end. India lost two wickets in quick succession after the left-hander's departure as Sudharsan was sent packing on 15 by Harmer, before Marco Jansen removed Dhrub Jurel on a duck to pile more misery on the hosts.

Jurel got out, trying to play an unnecessary shot at the stroke of Tea. The right-hander, in a desperation to get off the mark, went for a pull shot against Jansen and ended up mistiming it to get caught by Maharaj. He was picked for the Guwahati Test on the back of his great form for India A, but would be disappointed to have failed to contribute when the team was under pressure.

India face an uphill task to save the second Test in Guwahati after their terrible top-order collapse in their first innings on Day 3. In pursuit of South Africa's huge first-innings total of 489 runs, India needed a strong start and some big contributions from the top order. However, they have been left reeling at 102/4 at Tea, 387 runs behind South Africa's total.

India will need a big knock from stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, who are currently at the crease for the hosts. India will hope to see out the remainder of Day 3 and ensure they don't get bowled out, as there are strong chances of South Africa enforcing the follow-on if the hosts get bowled out early and cheaply in their first innings.