NEW DELHI: As if the mammoth target of 589 was not enough to demoralize them, the Indian team also lost 2 wickets in the final session of the fourth day to make matters worse after South Africa, quite reluctantly, declared their second innings at 260 for 5 in the third session. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul fell early, leaving India at 27 for 2 at stumps.Trailing 0-1 in the two-match series, India lost Jaiswal (13) to South African fast bowler Marco Jansen in the seventh over and KL Rahul (6) to spinner Simon Harmer in the 10th over of the innings.Sai Sudharsan (2 not out off 25 balls) and nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav (4 not out off 22 balls) were batting at stumps. India still need 522 runs to level the two-match series, an impossible task.South Africa need eight wickets on the final day to secure a historic series sweep. India face a target that is out of reach with three sessions left.Earlier in the day, Tristan Stubbs (94 off 180 balls) and Tony de Zorzi (49 off 68 balls) held off India’s spinners before South Africa declared. Ravindra Jadeja (4/62) and Washington Sundar (1/67) took early wickets in the morning, but Stubbs and de Zorzi added 101 runs for the fourth wicket. Stubbs also shared an 82-run partnership with Wiaan Mulder (35) for the fifth wicket.The South African lead of 549 was the highest a visiting team has led by in India, the previous highest was 542 in Nagpur in 2004 by Australia. South Africa have three sessions to take the remaining 8 Indian wickets and complete a historic series sweep at the “final frontier”. It is a next-to-impossible task for India to chase down the target — a draw itself would be a miracle. India face a target that has never been chased in Asia. The highest successful chase in Asia in Test matches is 395 by West Indies against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2021. India’s highest successful chase at home is 387 against England in Chennai in 2008.India have batted more than 100 overs in the fourth innings to save a Test only once this century — 131 overs against Australia in Sydney in 2021.This is only the second time India have been given a target of more than 500 runs at home. The previous occasion was in Nagpur in 2004, when Australia set a target of 543. India lost that match by 342 runs, which is still their biggest defeat by runs.South Africa now stand between earning 12 and four WTC points, while India can still try to secure four points. India must bat out the final day to avoid a 0-2 result and finish the series at 0-1Spin is likely to play a major role on day five. South Africa have Keshav Maharaj, Harmer, and Senuran Muthusamy available, along with Aiden Markram as a part-time option. Marco Jansen, who contributed with the bat and created pressure with short-pitched bowling on day three, is also expected to play a key role as South Africa push for a final-day win, and a series whitewash looms for the Men in Blue.
