The second day of the Test in Guwahati felt long and draining for India’s bowlers. Under a Sun-baked surface that offered almost nothing, South Africa made full use of the conditions and built a huge total of 489 in their first innings. Once the ball lost its shine, India found it increasingly difficult to break through. Kuldeep Yadav finished with four wickets but even he had to push himself outside his usual rhythm, bowling quicker and losing some of the subtle variation that had worked on the opening day.
Speaking to the media after stumps on the first day, Kuldeep didn’t hide how flat the pitch felt to him. He compared the surface at Guwahati to a road, stressing how little assistance it offered to bowlers of any kind. At the same time, he reminded that Test cricket often demands patience and resilience, especially when conditions are stacked against you.
Kuldeep Yadav explained that on surfaces like this, the focus shouldn’t be on dominating but on finding ways to stay in the contest. He admitted that there was hardly any help for spinners and even the fast bowlers struggled to extract anything meaningful from the wicket. Despite this, he insisted that bowlers cannot get stuck thinking about the pitch, instead, they have to stay positive, keep learning and prepare for whatever comes next.
He noted that the only phase where the surface showed some life was during the first session on Day 1, when a bit of moisture allowed him slight turn. But once that dried out, batting became easier and easier, leaving Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja searching for answers that simply weren’t there.
By the end of the day, it was clear from Kuldeep’s tone that the situation was frustrating but also a lesson he was determined to take in stride. For India, the challenge is now to move past the hardships of a lifeless pitch and look ahead to the next opportunity.
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