On day 2 of the IND vs SA Test match in Guwahati, all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy became only the 18th South African to register a Test century in India, and only the third since 2010.
Muthusamy attained this feat from the No. 7 position. While the game hung in balance at stumps on day 1, Muthusamy’s terrific century, which came in support of long partnerships with Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen, drove home the advantage for the Proteas by the end of the second session on Sunday.
Already trailing by 1-0 after a shocking loss in Kolkata, India, desperate to win the Guwahati Test to draw the series level, have now been pushed into a corner as South Africa’s first innings total has exceeded 400. This will prompt the Indian batters to bat with a bit of extra aggression, as they will have to force a result on a pitch that is expected to break down in the second half of the game.
Coming to Muthusamy, this is the second Test tour of India for the Durban-born cricketer. He featured in the 2019 Test series in India when his primary role was that of a spinner. Then, he had managed only two wickets across two Tests at a miserable average of 90, but the left-hander did impress with the bat, scoring 98 runs in four innings with two not outs.
He’s now evolved into a complete all-rounder in Asian conditions. Last year, he scored a valuable 68* against Bangladesh in Chattogram and took five wickets in the match. Last month in Pakistan, he bagged 11 wickets and made 106 runs in two Tests.
He was not picked for the first IND vs SA Test in Kolkata but has once again shown his value with the bat with a crucial century in Guwahati.
IND vs SA: Does Senuran Muthusamy have Indian roots?
Yes, Senuran Muthusamy has Indian roots. While he was born and brought up completely in South Africa, Muthusamy’s family roots trace back to Nagapattinam, a town 300 kilometers south of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
As fate would have it, Muthusamy made his Test debut in Visakhapatnam, which is 800 kilometers from Chennai.
Describing his family culture as “very much Indian,” Muthusamy said in 2019 at the time of his Test debut: “My forefathers are from the south of India in Tamil Nadu, so it’s been really special,”
However, Muthusamy affirmed that he is a complete South African and doesn’t speak the Tamil language.
“I am firmly South African. I am quite a few generations down the line. I unfortunately don’t speak Tamil so I am a thoroughbred South African but there’s no getting away from that – our origins are in India,” he added.
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