India vs South Africa Live Score: ‘We wanted them to really grovel’- Conrad explains SA’s ruthless declaration strategy
South Africa’s strategy on day four of the Guwahati Test was clear and deliberate — make India toil, wear them down, and shut the door on any chance of a comeback. That is why the visitors kept batting well into the final session, stretching their lead to a massive 548 before finally declaring. Head coach Shukri Conrad explained that the aim was not merely to set an unassailable target, but to ensure India spent as much time as possible under the harsh sun and on a tiring outfield.
Conrad said South Africa wanted to retain a hard new ball for the following morning, believing early overs under fresh light could offer enough help for the quicks. He also pointed out that batting in the evening, when long shadows creep across the surface, would make life uncomfortable for India’s openers — another factor behind the delayed declaration.
Conrad was blunt about South Africa’s intentions. They wanted India to “grovel”, drain their legs, and then challenge them to survive an hour late on day four and the entirety of day five. He acknowledged, however, that India would not simply fold, and his team would need to be just as sharp on the final morning.
The visitors are on the verge of something historic. They have not claimed a Test series win in India since 2000 and had not even won a Test here since 2010 before their Kolkata victory last week. With momentum behind them, they have bossed nearly every session in Guwahati. After recovering from 247 for 6 to post 489, they bowled India out for 201. Instead of enforcing the follow-on, they chose to bat again, dragging India through a back-breaking 229.4 overs in the field. India now resume at 27 for 2, still 522 runs away, with South Africa needing just eight wickets for a rare sweep.
Although 90 overs are scheduled for the final day, poor light has cut into every day’s play, leaving South Africa roughly 106 overs to complete the job. Conrad admitted the pitch hasn’t broken down as much as expected, but insisted that declaring earlier would have served little purpose. He said the visitors would accept any result — even a draw — but made it clear they are pushing hard for a 2-0 finish.
The surface still offers steep bounce, something Marco Jansen exploited with his 6 for 48 in the first innings. Conrad hopes both Jansen and the spinners can produce one more telling performance. South Africa’s spin department has undergone a revival in recent months, with Senuran Muthusamy shining in Pakistan and Simon Harmer emerging as the joint-highest wicket-taker of this series.
Conrad said he feels encouraged by the growing strength of South Africa’s slow bowlers, believing that this new balance, alongside their traditional pace power, offers a fresh pathway for young spinners back home.
