Although the stadium has hosted only six international cricket matches in its history, India and South Africa have had the opportunity to play at the venue

After losing the first Test match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the Indian outfit has reached Guwahati, Assam, where the team will take on the Proteas at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium. For the unversed souls, the stadium, also known as the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Stadium, is set to host its maiden international Test match. Therefore, there is some mystery about how the pitch condition will be and whether the stadium will draw enough crowds.

Such factors cannot be determined beforehand, but we can surely go back to the time when India played against South Africa at this venue in a T20I. What happened in that game? Here’s a recap.

India vs. South Africa, 2nd T20I

In 2022, South Africa visited India for a three-match T20I series coupled with a number of ODI games. The first match was played in Thiruvananthapuram, where India dismantled the entire Proteas batting line-up in just 106 runs and moved on to Guwahati for the second game.

India scores big

(Credit- myKhel)

Batting first, the Indian batters ran riot against the Proteas bowlers, with KL Rahul hitting a blistering 57 off 28 balls, whereas Rohit Sharma added a stable 43 runs in 37 balls. Virat Kohli also hit the ball with pace, adding another 49 runs in 28 balls.

However, the limelight stealer on the day was Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 61 runs in 22 balls at a strike rate of 277.27. Dinesh Karthik also played a cameo by hitting 17 runs in seven balls. Collectively, India scored 237 runs against South Africa, which became India’s 8th highest target in T20 internationals.

The Miller show

(Credit- myKhel)

Unlike the first game, in which the South African batter plummeted, the South Africans showed their fighting spirit in the second game. Quinton de Kock put on a show with his 69 runs off 48 balls, whereas David Miller almost took the game away from India, hitting right, left and centre to score 106 runs in 47 balls, with a strike rate of 225.53. Aiden Markram also had his own little cameo of 33 runs in 19 balls. Unfortunately for the Proteas, despite all that fightback and gallant effort, they lost the game by 16 runs.

Will India bounce back?

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India, having already won one T20I against South Africa at the venue, would love to repeat history in the Test format. After all, a great show and a victory will be historic for India at its new Test venue and even for the Guwahati lads who will get to taste a Test victory in their own backyard. Expectations will be high, especially from Rishabh Pant, who will lead the team in the absence of an injured Shubman Gill.