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In a moment that lit up Day 3 of the second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati, Aiden Markram pulled off one of the finest catches of the series to send debutant Nitish Reddy back to the pavilion. The dismissal, which came during a fiery spell from Marco Jansen, further pushed India into dire straits as their innings continued to unravel in response to South Africa’s massive first-innings total of 489.
The spectacular moment occurred on the fourth ball of the 42nd over, when Jansen produced yet another short-pitched delivery that leapt alarmingly off the surface. Having extracted sharp bounce for most of the post-tea session, the tall left-armer kept troubling the Indian middle order, and Nitish soon became his latest victim.
Aiden Markram takes a spectacular catch to dismiss Nitish Reddy
Nitish, attempting to fend off the rising delivery, found himself in an awkward position as the ball climbed steeply toward his gloves. With little control over his shot, the ball ballooned off the glove and flew toward the right of second slip. At first glance, it appeared to be a difficult half-chance—but Markram had other ideas.
The Proteas batter sprinted across from his position, launched himself full-length to his right, and stuck out one hand. In an astonishing display of athleticism and timing, he managed to latch onto the ball mid-air, completing a catch that left even his teammates momentarily stunned before they mobbed him in celebration.
The replay showed just how incredible the effort was: Markram extended every inch possible, plucking the ball at full stretch, making what could have been a boundary-saving dive into a game-defining wicket. Fans flooded social media with praise for the South African star, with many calling it one of the best catches of the ongoing series.
Here’s the video:
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— Random (@Random144729)
Also WATCH: IND vs SA – Jasprit Bumrah castles Simon Harmer with a ripping jaffa on Day 2 of the Guwahati Test
India continue to slide under scoreboard pressure
For India, Nitish’s dismissal added to a growing list of setbacks. The visitors have struggled to build partnerships and remain under tremendous pressure after South Africa’s imposing first-innings effort. The top order failed to convert starts, and regular wickets ensured India never found the momentum they needed.
At the end of 59 overs, India had crawled to 170/7, still trailing significantly. Washington Sundar (31*) and Kuldeep Yadav (12*) were holding on, trying to prevent an innings defeat and keep India’s hopes alive.
