2nd Test: Chasing 549, India in trouble at 27/2; South Africa eye series sweep

Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul perished early as India fumbled in the chase of a mammoth 549-run target to end day four of second Test against South Africa at a precarious 27 for 2, here Tuesday.

Trailing 0-1 in the two-match series, India lost Jaiswal (13) to pacer Marco Jansen in the seventh over and KL Rahul (6) to spinner Simon Harmer in the 10th over.

At stumps, Sai Sudharsan (2 not out off 25 balls) and night watchman Kuldeep Yadav (4 not out off 22 balls) were at the crease with India requiring another 522 runs to win and level the two-Test series.

It was a day when Proteas batters Tristan Stubbs (94 runs off 180 balls) and Tony de Zorzi (49 off 68 balls) defied India’s spin attack before the visitors declared their second innings at 260 for 5, giving the hosts a mountain of runs to climb.

After Ravindra Jadeja (4/62) and Washington Sundar (1/67) got early breakthroughs in the morning session, Stubbs and de Zorzi batted resolutely to stitch together a 101-run stand to consolidate their team’s position.

Stubbs also put on another 82 runs with Wiaan Mulder (35 runs) for the fifth wicket.

Brief Scores:

South Africa: 489 & 260 for 5 declared in 78.3 overs (Ryan Rickelton 35, Aiden Markram 29, Tristan Stubbs 94, Tony de Zorzi 49; Ravindra Jadeja 4/62).

India: 201 and 27 for 2 in 15.5 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 13, KL Rahul 6).