NEW DELHI: Senuran Muthusamy showcased remarkable resilience and determination, bringing up his maiden Test century on the second day of the second Test against India in Guwahati on Sunday.

The left-hander reached the milestone off 192 deliveries, collecting two runs with a back-foot punch off Mohammed Siraj. He narrowly missed a hundred in the second Test against Pakistan last month, finishing unbeaten on 89 after last man Kagiso Rabada was dismissed for 71.

Muthusamy's hundred also put him in elite company, as he became only the third South African batter to score a Test century from No. 7 or lower against India.

Before him, Quinton de Kock achieved the feat with a knock of 111 in Visakhapatnam in 2019, while Lance Klusener scored an unbeaten 102 in Cape Town back in 1997. Muthusamy's performance now joins this exclusive list, highlighting the significance of his achievement.

Muthusamy began the day with a cautious approach, picking up boundaries only when opportunities presented themselves. After the tea break, however, he shifted gears, inspired by Jansen's aggressive stroke play.

Jansen confidently leaned into his front foot and launched Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja straight and towards long-on, prompting Muthusamy to follow suit.

He moved into the 90s with a powerful slog over mid-wicket off Kuldeep and then guided another delivery fine for four. A calm push for two runs off Mohammed Siraj finally brought up his maiden Test century.

Notably, this was Muthusamy’s 10th first-class hundred, adding to a domestic tally of over 5,000 runs.

Muthusamy defended well on the front-foot and also played some flowing drives.

He did survive by going for DRS when he was adjudged leg before off Jadeja's bowling as the TV replays showed that the ball had touched the gloves. Muthusamy didn't look back after that.