IND vs SA 2nd Test: South Africa Decline Follow-On Chance After India Collapse in Guwahati

IND vs SA 2nd Test: The spectre of a follow-on briefly resurfaced during the ongoing second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati. For a moment, it felt like history was about to repeat itself.

The last time India were forced to follow on at home was 15 years ago, in Nagpur in 2010, and that too against the same opposition. That Test remains etched in memory as one of South Africa's most dominant performances on Indian soil.

Back in 2010, South Africa had piled up 558/6 declared after batting first, driven by a marathon double hundred from Hashim Amla, who crafted a serene unbeaten 253 off 473 deliveries. Jacques Kallis complemented him with a commanding 173, ensuring India were put under immediate pressure. In response, India folded for 233, with only Virender Sehwag's brisk 109 and Subramaniam Badrinath's patient 56 offering resistance. The follow-on was inevitable.

Though Sachin Tendulkar struck a determined century in the second innings - a precise 100 off 179 balls - India still fell short, bowled out for 319 as South Africa clinched victory by an innings and six runs. Before that encounter, India had faced a follow-on at home only twice: against New Zealand in 2003 and Australia during the memorable 2001 Kolkata Test.

Fast forward to Guwahati 2025, where South Africa again produced a strong opening act. Riding on Senuran Muthusamy's brilliant 109 and Marco Jansen's authoritative 93, the visitors posted 489 in their first innings. India faltered in reply, dismissed for just 201 on Day 3. Yashasvi Jaiswal's fluent 58 offered early promise, while Washington Sundar's fighting 48 added respectability to the total, but the overall batting effort remained far from convincing.

With a commanding lead of 289, South Africa had the perfect opportunity to enforce the follow-on. Instead, skipper Temba Bavuma chose a different route, opting to bat again and tighten their grip on the Test. Having already won the series opener in Kolkata, the visitors now have a golden chance to push for a historic 2-0 sweep in India - a feat that would underline their dominance in the subcontinent.