The ongoing Test match in Guwahati has shown significant challenges for the Indian cricket team, particularly on Day 4 as they faced South Africa with a daunting lead of 314 runs. Rishabh Pant, India's wicketkeeper, remained vocal behind the stumps, encouraging his teammates like Washington Sundar in hopes of flipping the game's momentum. Despite South Africa's superior spinners throughout the series, India’s bowling attack looked to adjust their strategy with Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja taking the frontline.
On the morning of Day 4, Washington Sundar bowled with precision, allowing India to pose questions to the South African openers. Notably, Jadeja, who complemented Sundar’s efforts, claimed two crucial wickets early on. The duo’s performance provided a glimmer of hope, but the broader context saw India still trailing significantly behind South Africa, whose lead grew ominously nearing 400 runs.
As the day progressed, South Africa opted to bat for an extended period, a strategy emphasized by their coach Shukri Conrad. This tactic aimed at wearing down the Indian players and benefitting from challenging batting conditions later in the match. Despite expectations of turn and bounce from the pitch for Indian bowlers, they faced an increasingly difficult playing surface without substantial assistance.
The post-lunch session added more misery for India, as South African batters built their score steadily, unbothered by India’s weakened bowling lineup. With Jasprit Bumrah, one of India's premier bowlers, underutilized, India struggled to regain control. The session echoed a sense of inevitability as South Africa continued to push forward, rendering the prospect of a draw highly unrealistic.
India now stands in a position that requires extraordinary performance to avoid defeat, with their only hope resting on rewriting records set in the past. The last occurrence of a team scoring over 400 on the final day dates back to 1948 at Headingley, and India would need an exceptional effort to surpass this mark. The overwhelming pressure from South Africa's relentless performance has left Indian players, including Jadeja, reflecting on the match’s outcome, suggesting that even a draw might feel like a win given the current circumstances.