"If you have to win the Test match, you have to play with a good run rate" - Parthiv Patel picks key batter for India in IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Parthiv Patel has noted that Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul survived a crucial few overs without getting separated on Day 2 of the second Test against South Africa. He opined that Jaiswal would be a very important player for India in their quest to win the game.

South Africa posted 489 runs in their first innings of the second Test in Guwahati on Sunday, November 23. India ended Day 2 at nine for no loss in their first innings, with Jaiswal (7*) and Rahul (2*) playing out 6.1 overs before bad light stopped the game.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Parthiv highlighted the importance of Rahul and Jaiswal remaining unbeaten at Stumps and picked the left-handed opener as a vital player if India have to win the game.

"The six overs of play that happened today was extremely important. The bowling was good, but the second challenge for the Indian batters was the light. Here, before every over, you think this might be the last over, and then another over is bowled. So it's a challenge to eliminate all those thoughts and focus on the game," the former India wicketkeeper-batter said. "Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul played extremely well. However, if India have to win from here, I feel Yashasvi Jaiswal is an extremely important player. If you have to win the Test match, you have to play with a good run rate, and when Yashasvi Jaiswal plays, he scores a big hundred and a very fast hundred," Parthiv added.

Yashasvi Jaiswal had scored 2440 runs at an average of 49.79 in 27 Tests before the start of the Guwahati game. The 23-year-old, who has struck seven Test hundreds, scored these runs at a strike rate of 66.19.

---

"Tomorrow is the day when India need to look towards 400 if they want to win this match" - Parthiv Patel on Day 3 of IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply in both innings of the Kolkata Test. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Parthiv Patel recalled Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir's earlier statement and noted that the hosts would have to adopt an aggressive approach.

"I remember Gautam Gambhir's quote when it was the Test match against Bangladesh in Kanpur, where he said that we want to become a team that can score 400 runs in a day and can also score 150 runs in a day and draw the game. I feel tomorrow is the day when India need to look towards 400 if they want to win this match," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that India should target scoring at around four runs per over on Day 3 of the Guwahati Test.

"400 runs is just a number I gave, but if we think realistically, you can score 350 to 375 runs in a day on this pitch. If you bat at a run rate of four, you will score those many runs, and I feel that should be India's target," Parthiv observed.

South Africa's 489-run first-innings total came at a run rate of 3.23. Marco Jansen's explosive 91-ball 93 gave the required impetus to their innings.

Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news

Edited by Kartik Iyer