At tea on Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, the Proteas were 82 for 1 in 26.5 overs. South Africa had won the toss and elected to bat.
Aiden Markram top-scored with 38 off 81 balls before being bowled by Jasprit Bumrah just before the break, while Ryan Rickelton remained unbeaten on 35 from 80 deliveries. Extras added nine runs, including eight byes and one leg-bye, as the scoring rate settled at 3.06 runs per over.
The innings featured some early aggression, with both Markram and Rickelton finding the boundary on multiple occasions. Markram struck fours off deliveries from Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Bumrah, while Rickelton punished wayward balls from Mohammad Siraj, Reddy, and Sundar with crisp drives.
At the stroke of tea, Bumrah returned to the attack and broke the opening partnership, sending Markram back to the pavilion with a full-length delivery that rattled the stumps.
Bumrah led the Indian bowling with figures of 6.5 overs, 3 maidens, 7 runs, and 1 wicket, while Siraj, Reddy, Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav supported well, maintaining tight lines and controlling the scoring.
Yet to bat for South Africa were Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, and Keshav Maharaj.
India, under newly appointed captain Rishabh Pant, fielded a balanced attack featuring Bumrah, Siraj, Sundar, Kuldeep, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Umpires Richard Kettleborough and Rod Tucker officiated on the field, with Chris Gaffaney as the third umpire and Richie Richardson as match referee.
The contest remains closely fought as South Africa aim to build a solid first-innings total in Guwahati. The tea scorecard reflected a promising start for the visitors, with the wicket of Markram providing India a crucial breakthrough just before the mid-session interval.
