Published on: Jan 04, 2024
On a surreal Day 1 of the Cape Town Test between India and South Africa at Newlands on Wednesday, January 3, as many as twenty three wickets fell with bowlers from both sides dominating proceedings. The Proteas batted first after winning the toss in the second Test, but were bundled out for 55 in 23.2 overs, their lowest Test score since 1932, as Mohammed Siraj ran through the batting with 6/15.
In their first innings, India seemed in command at one point. They were 153/4 with their lead just short of 100 runs. Believe it or not, the visitors did not score a single run after that and were all out for 153 in 34.5 overs, losing six wickets for 0 runs in 11 balls. Kagiso Rabada (3/38), Lungi Ngidi (3/30) and Nandre Burger (3/42) combined to stun India.
South Africa got off to a steady start in their second innings, reaching 37/0. However, there was another twist in the tale as they lost three wickets towards the close of play to go to stumps at 62/3. The Proteas trail India by 36 runs and would depend on Aiden Markram (36 not out) and David Bedingham (7 not out) to push the hosts towards a significant lead.
If we talk about the day’s play, Siraj was absolutely brilliant in the first session. He had Markram (2) caught at slips and then forced Elgar (4) to drag a delivery onto his stumps. Tristan Stubbs (11) inside edged one from from Jasprit Bumrah onto his thigh pad and was caught at short leg.
Tony de Zorzi (2) was caught down leg off Siraj. South Africa had lost half their side for 34 when Siraj got one to bounce a little extra, who also had Bedingham (12), caught in the slip cordon. By dismissing Marco Jansen (0) and Kyle Verreynne (15), Siraj completed a sensational six-wicket haul. There was not much resistance from the lower order as India kept South Africa to a paltry total.
For India, Virat Kohli (46), skipper Rohit Sharma (39) and Shubman Gill (36) promised a lot, but could not convert their starts. Yashasvi Jaiswal was out for a duck, bowled by Rabada, while Shreyas Iyer (0) also perished without scoring.
It was the wicket of KL Rahul (8) at the start of the 34th over that began India’s shocking collapse. Ngidi dismissed Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja (0) and Jasprit Bumrah (0) in one over. Kohli then edged Rabada to second slip, while Siraj (0) was run out before Prasidh Krishna also fell for a duck.
In South Africa’s second innings, Elgar fell for 12, nicking a delivery from Mukesh Kumar. The bowler also dismissed De Zorzi (1), who nicked a delivery from Kumar to the keeper before Stubbs (1) was done in by extra bounce from Bumrah.
–By A Cricket Correspondent