Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav offered a brutally honest assessment of the batting-friendly pitch in Guwahati, comparing it to a 'road' after South Africa's lower order staged a remarkable fightback on the second day of the second Test.
Batting Paradise in Guwahati
The Barsapara Stadium track offered little assistance to the bowlers, a stark contrast to the challenging surface in Kolkata. The Indian bowling attack, which had dominated the first Test, struggled to make inroads as South African all-rounders Senuran Muthusamy (106) and Marco Jansen (93) capitalized on the conditions. Their partnership helped the visitors post a massive first-innings total of 489 runs.
When asked to compare the two pitches, Kuldeep did not hold back. "Kolkata ka wicket toh alag thaa. Yeh to pura road tha," he said on Sunday, November 23, 2025. Translating to "Kolkata's wicket was different. This was a whole road," his reaction perfectly encapsulated the bowler's frustration.
Kuldeep's Four-Wicket Haul Amid the Struggle
Despite the unresponsive surface, Kuldeep Yadav emerged as the most successful Indian bowler. The wrist-spinner toiled for 29.1 overs, finishing with figures of 4 for 115. He revealed that the pitch showed some initial promise. "Personally I felt yesterday first session, there was a bit of moisture in the wicket, so I got a little bit of turn there in the first session. After that it was very good to bat on," he explained.
He further added that the conditions worsened for the bowlers on the second day, with fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja also finding it difficult to extract any turn from the surface.
From Kolkata's Nightmare to Guwahati's Run-Fest
The nature of the Guwahati pitch was a complete reversal from the first Test in Kolkata, which ended inside three days. In that match, India was sensationally bowled out for 96 while chasing a modest target of 124 runs. The Barsapara wicket proved to be its polar opposite, testing the skill and patience of the bowlers.
Adopting a philosophical outlook, Kuldeep accepted the challenge. "So it's challenging and that's why it's called a Test wicket," he stated. "Even for fast bowlers it didn't seem like a lot of help, but yeah, this is Test cricket and you should enjoy it... Next Test, there could be a better wicket, so no complaints."
At the close of play on Day 2, India had begun their reply cautiously, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul at the crease, facing a daunting task to match South Africa's mammoth score.
