Nitish Reddy Falls for Duck as South Africa Completes Series Sweep

Team India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy faced a challenging outing in the second Test against South Africa, finishing with a three-ball duck on Day 5 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Reddy, who came in to bat during the second session, attempted a reverse sweep off the bowling of off-spinner Simon Harmer but was caught by wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne after the ball made contact with his gloves.

Reddy entered the crease following the dismissal of Washington Sundar, who edged a delivery from Harmer to slip fielder Aiden Markram in the 61st over. On the very first ball he faced from Harmer, Reddy sought to take an aggressive approach but misjudged the delivery. The ball pitched and turned on the rough outside the off stump, rising unexpectedly and leading to a simple catch for Verreynne.

This dismissal marked Harmer’s sixth wicket in the fourth innings of the series, showcasing his ability to dominate the Indian batting lineup once again. Reddy’s performance was unremarkable, as he had previously scored just 10 runs in the first innings and ended the second innings without contributing any runs. In addition, he bowled 10 overs without taking a wicket.

The match concluded with Keshav Maharaj dismissing both Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj in the same over, sealing a historic win for South Africa. India was bowled out for just 140 runs in their second innings, marking a comprehensive 2-0 series whitewash for South Africa. This victory represents South Africa’s first Test series win in India since 2000, when the team, led by Hansie Cronje, achieved a similar 2-0 triumph.

The result underscores South Africa’s growing strength in Test cricket, as they continue to build momentum ahead of future series. The performance of their spinners, particularly Harmer and Maharaj, was instrumental in this series victory, demonstrating their effectiveness on Indian pitches.

As the cricketing world shifts its attention to upcoming tournaments, including the IPL Auction in 2025, fans and analysts alike will be eager to see how both teams adapt and evolve for future challenges.