Who is Senuran Muthusamy who scored his maiden Test hundred in Guwahati?

Dubai: South Africa closed Day 1 of the second Test at 247 for six against India, and many expected the hosts to wrap up their innings quickly on the following morning. But No 7 batter Senuran Muthusamy, unbeaten on 25 overnight, had other ideas.

Muthusamy delivered the finest innings of his Test career, grinding out a maiden century that put South Africa firmly in control and left India searching for answers on Day 2 in Guwahati. His 94-run stand with Marco Jansen — who struck his fourth Test fifty — powered the Proteas past 400 by the end of the second session, keeping alive their dream of a first Test series win in India in 25 years.

Playing just his eighth Test, Muthusamy reached the landmark in 192 balls. His previous best was an unbeaten 89 against Pakistan earlier this year. His marathon 109 off 206 deliveries, featuring 10 fours and two sixes, made him only the third South African to score a Test hundred from No 7 or lower against India, following Quinton de Kock (111 in Visakhapatnam, 2019) and Lance Klusener (102* in Cape Town, 1997).

Born on 22 February 1994 in Durban to parents of Indian origin, Muthusamy has strong ties to his Tamil heritage, with extended family still living in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. He studied at Clifton College before earning a bachelor’s degree in social science — specialising in media and marketing — from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

His cricketing journey began in Durban, where he quickly rose through school and local ranks, representing KwaZulu-Natal from Under-11 to Under-19 level. Though initially unsure of turning professional, his steady progress earned him a place in South Africa’s Under-19 squad. In 2015—16, he was signed by the Dolphins as a top-order batter.

Despite a career-best 181 against the Knights in January 2017, his batting form dipped. “His batting just dropped off a bit but his bowling went to another level,” teammate Imraan Khan told ESPNcricinfo in 2019. That evolution helped him reinvent himself as a genuine all-rounder.

His improved bowling earned him a maiden Test call-up for South Africa’s 2019 tour of India, where he debuted in Visakhapatnam and claimed his first Test wicket — Virat Kohli, caught and bowled — a moment that showcased his composure on the big stage.

Though competition from South Africa’s strong spin contingent, including the ever-reliable Keshav Maharaj, has made a permanent spot hard to secure, Muthusamy has remained a determined and quietly influential figure in the national setup.