When India had smashed South Africa by 203 runs in Visakhapatnam six years ago, there was an Indian-origin debutant they had failed to dismiss. The unbeaten knocks of 33 and 49 didn’t hurt India in that Test, but in Guwahati on Sunday, Senuran Muthusamy, who traces his ancestry to Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, proved to the Indians that those two innings of resistance in October 2019 were no fluke.
In a nutshell, Muthusamy’s maiden international hundred (109), comprising 10 boundaries and a couple of maximums, was the fulcrum behind South Africa stretching their first-innings total to 489 even after losing the plot a little bit late on Day I.
Like he did during the course of his 89 not out in Rawalpindi last month, Muthusamy had to face the test of the situation in Guwahati as well. And, he cleared the test with his strong, solid defence and of course, intense discipline, a key element of his game.
Rigorous training at the BEST (Baboo Ebrahim Sport Trust) Cricket Academy in Durban, under the supervision of his mentor Yashin Ebrahim, helped him develop as a cricketer. Since joining Warriors (a division I team in South Africa), where he’s into his third season, extra focus on defence seems to have made Muthusamy technically more equipped.
“Based on the conditions we have here at St George’s Park (in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth), Sen had to concentrate more on his defence, which in turn has made him stronger technique-wise. He has allowed those fundamentals to be a part of his game,” Warriors’ coach and former South Africa left-arm spinner Robin Peterson told The Telegraph on Sunday.
“Basically, it’s about understanding what he needs to do, recognising the moment and double downing on his strengths. And yeah, he’s quite tough character-wise,” Peterson stated.
His improved coordination at the crease was also an outcome of the stint he had with Sheryll Calder, a South African sports scientist, who founded an organisation that helps even athletes to sharpen their motor responses (reflex action), Muthusamy said after the day’s play in Guwahati.
A bachelor’s degree holder in social science, having done his majors in media and marketing and an “avid reader”, the 31-year-old seems determined to make his comeback to Test cricket count. And he's certainly on the right track.