India vs South Africa 2025 2nd Test: Marco Jansen puts Indians on the mat on Day 3 at Guwahati, Proteas lead by 314 runs at stumps

Team India are facing the prospect of losing a Test series at home to South Africa for the first time after 25 years. The last time at Indian lost to the Proteas in India was back in 2000 when they were whitewashed 2-0 in a two-Test series.

A prospect of another whitewash is now very much looming at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati after the home side were bundled out for just 201 with the tall South African all-rounder Marco Jansen wrecking havoc by claiming 6/48 in 19.5 overs. After conceding a 288-run first innings lead, South African skipper Temba Bavuma chose not to enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.

South African openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton played out the 8 remaining overs in the third day without any concern to end at 26 for no loss and lead by 314 runs at the end of Day 3. Rishabh Pant’s Team India now have their backs firmly to the wall as they will look to avoid the humiliation of another whitewash – their second in two years.

Just last year head coach Gautam Gambhir and Team India were hammered 3-0 at home New Zealand. Jansen backed up his 93 off 91 balls in the first innings with bat with a terrific spell of hostile bowling to knock the wind out of Indian sails.

Jansen, in fact, became only third bowler to claim six or more wickets with short (or of a length balls) after New Zealand’s Neil Wagner (in 2016 and 2017) and Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani (in 2025). “There’s obviously nice pace and bounce in the wicket. Not a lot of nip or swing, a little bit here at the end. Once we saw there was a bit of bounce and better pace in the wicket, we tried to utilize that,” Jansen said after the third day’s play.

“I really feel the spinners did a brilliant job and I’m just lucky to be the one who cashed in. Who said we didn’t fight hard? Like I said, there was a bit of pace and bounce in the wicket, which was nice. We did think we were probably going to field, or we were preparing to field, for at least two days. The boys did a really good job today,” he added.

What are your thoughts on Rishabh-Panti style of batting?

A high risk & high reward approach that has benefited Team India in the past. But is it the way to go every time? #INDvSA 2nd Test, Day 3 LIVE NOW https://t.co/Q2ZQvwvqsx@parthiv9 @cricketaakash… pic.twitter.com/AsJ3tUc7gf

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 24, 2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with maiden Test fifty vs South Africa

Indians started off well in the third morning with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul putting on 63 runs for the opening wicket. But left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj induced an edge off Rahul (22, 63b, 2×4).

Jaiswal brought up his first fifty against South Africa in Test cricket off 85 balls and was looking fairly comfortable in the middle. But Simon Harmer struck the big blow with one that turned away as Jansen took a diving catch at short third-man with Jaiswal walking back for 58 off 97 balls with 1 sixes and 7 fours.

The Rajasthan Royals opener’s dismissal sparked a dramatic collapse as Indian lost six wickets for 27 runs to slide to 122 for 7. New Test skipper Pant charged out at Jansen immediately after ‘tea’ break to be caught behind for 7.

Jansen then bounced out all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (6) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (10), with the latter being dismissed thanks to a brilliant diving catch by Aiden Markram. There was no way back for the home side after that although Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav put up a resolute fight for the eighth wicket.

Sundar and Yadav put on 72 runs for the eighth wicket to delay the inevitable before the former was caught at slip off Harmer for 48 (92b, 2 fours, 1 six). Harmer ended with 3/64 to back up Jansen in the dismal batting performance by India.