Eden pitch in focus as Jadeja’s four-for turns the first Test in favour of India

After the nightmarish series loss to New Zealand last year, there were growing calls for playing on more balanced surfaces. But what appeared to be a typical Indian wicket at the Eden Gardens seemed more of a struggle for batters from either side in the ongoing first Test match between India and South Africa, with spinners running the show.

On Saturday, Ravindra Jadeja produced a masterclass in spin bowling to seize control for the home side on a dramatic second day, returning figures of 4 for 29 as South Africa crashed to 93 for 7 in 35 overs at stumps. Despite holding a 63-run lead, the visitors were left reeling, and with 16 wickets falling in the day, the contest remained finely poised heading into Day Three.

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South Africa had earlier dismissed India for 189, limiting the hosts to a slender 30-run first-innings advantage. With Shubman Gill unable to take the field after retiring hurt on 4 due to a neck spasm, the visitors appeared to have clawed their way back into the contest. But their second innings turned into a slide, undone by probing Indian spin and a series of loose strokes that handed the initiative back to the hosts.

With the variable bounce and sharp turn troubling batters from both sides, any potential fourth-innings chase close to 125 could be demanding, especially with South Africa still needing to stretch their current lead significantly on a pitch growing more treacherous by the session.

Earlier in the day, off-spinner Simon Harmer delivered a superb spell to pick up four wickets as India folded for 189. Echoing South Africa’s own first-innings performance, India’s batting lacked fluency and partnerships, with the 57-run stand between KL Rahul and Washington Sundar the only meaningful resistance in the first hour of play. Rahul top-scored with 39, the only Indian batter to pass 30, before another familiar collapse saw India lose their last five wickets for just 36 runs.

Harmer’s control and variation on a tricky surface earned him figures of 4 for 30, while Marco Jansen complemented him with 3 for 35. Before the collapse, Rahul and Sundar had looked composed against the challenges posed by spin and uneven bounce. Rahul struck boundaries off Keshav Maharaj and Jansen to become the 18th Indian to reach 4,000 Test runs, while Sundar mixed caution with aggression, sweeping and lofting Maharaj confidently.

Harmer broke through by squaring up Sundar with a sharp turn, the outside edge carrying to slip.

After the first wicket fell on the day, skipper Gill struck a crisp sweep off Harmer before a freak neck spasm forced him to retire hurt immediately afterward. Rahul continued to counterattack, stepping out to whip Maharaj for six.

Rishabh Pant, returning to international cricket after a fractured right foot, enjoyed some fortune when Aiden Markram dropped him at slip, and capitalised quickly by launching Maharaj for six. But after Rahul was dismissed by Maharaj, Pant’s cameo ended just before lunch when he top-edged a pull off Corbin Bosch to the wicketkeeper.

In the second session, Dhruv Jurel impressed with crisp timing against Bosch, while Jadeja found the boundary with a trademark leaning drive through cover. But Harmer halted India’s progress again, snaring Jurel via a simple return catch. After India inched past South Africa’s total, Harmer trapped Jadeja (27) lbw with a skiddy delivery, the all-rounder burning a review in the process.

Jansen then removed Kuldeep Yadav down the leg side before uprooting Mohammed Siraj’s off stump. Harmer completed his four-wicket haul by removing Axar Patel, ending India’s innings with Gill unable to return.

South Africa’s reply began under pressure as Jasprit Bumrah struck Rickelton on the body twice with a steep bounce, though the opener managed a pair of boundaries. Axar Patel shared the new ball and kept things tight, while Kuldeep Yadav provided the breakthrough moments before tea, trapping Rickelton lbw for 11.

The slide deepened after tea. Markram’s attempted sweep off Jadeja ballooned to Dhruv Jurel at short leg, before Wiaan Mulder edged Jadeja to Rishabh Pant. Two balls later, Tony de Zorzi gloved a turning ball onto the pad and into the hands of Jurel.

Skipper Temba Bavuma fought back with boundaries, but the procession continued. Jadeja straightened one past Tristan Stubbs’ outside edge to hit off stump, and Kyle Verreynne’s slog sweep against Axar ended with his middle stump uprooted. Kuldeep then removed Marco Jansen near stumps, KL Rahul holding on at slip after an initial fumble to leave South Africa seven down.

Bavuma remained unbeaten on 29, but with India pressing hard and the pitch deteriorating rapidly, day 3 could well decide the outcome of this topsy-turvy Test.

Gill being monitored

India captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck spasm during the morning session, is currently being monitored by the BCCI medical team. He has not yet been ruled out of the Test, with a decision on his participation to be made based on his recovery.

“Shubman Gill has a neck spasm and is being monitored by the BCCI medical team. A decision on his participation today will be taken as per his progress,” a BCCI statement read.

Brief Scores: South Africa 159 and 93/7 in 35 overs (Temba Bavuma 29 not out, Marco Jansen 13; Ravindra Jadeja 4-29, Kuldeep Yadav 2-12) lead India 189 all out in 62.2 overs (KL Rahul 39, Washington Sundar 29, Ravindra Jadeja 27; Simon Harmer 4-30, Marco Jansen 3-35) by 63 runs