IND vs SA Scorecard, 2nd Test, Day 1 Highlights: Mohammed Siraj's 6-Wicket Haul Puts India In Driver's Seat At Newlands

The Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa was full of action and entertainment as the Proteas were wrapped up for a mere score of 55 runs in the first innings. The Indian team also didn’t bat much long and were bundled for 153 runs in their first innings leading by 98 runs in the first innings. The hosts finished Day 1 at 62/3 and the match is currently evenly poised.

Winning the toss and batting first proved to be a worse decision for South Africa’s stand-in captain Dean Elgar, as Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj reduced the Proteas to 15/4. Siraj removed the top three Proteas batsmen whereas Jasprit Bumrah picked up one wicket. Siraj removed Aiden Markram for 2 runs courtesy of a brilliant slip catch from Yashasvi Jaiswal.

IND vs SA: Mohammed Siraj turns nightmare for South Africa at Newlands

Dean Elgar who was the centurion in the previous was cleaned up by Mohammed Siraj for 4 runs whereas Tony de Zorzi was caught behind the stumps for 3 runs while trying to touch an outside leg ball and became the third victim of Siraj.

An action-packed Day 1 in Cape Town comes to an end ??

A total of 2️⃣3️⃣ wickets were claimed on the opening day!

South Africa 62/3 in the second innings, trail by 36 runs.

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/PVJRWPfGBE#TeamIndia | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/7lo71BWms0

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 3, 2024

Mohammed Siraj’s domination in the first innings continued as David Bedingham became hit fourth prey for 12 runs. However, the main highlight of Siraj’s fifer was Marco Jansen, who was dismissed for a duck by a classical outswinger from Siraj. Jansen became the fifth victim of Siraj, handing over him his third Test career fifer. Kyle Verreynne (15) was the sixth batsman dismissed by Siraj in the first innings and also helped him complete a six-fer.

South Africa’s lower didn’t stand for long as Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar cleaned up South Africa’s tale. Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Nandre Burger were the last three South African wickets to fall in the first innings.

Mohammed Siraj completed the innings with figures of 6/15 in nine overs whereas Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar picked up 2 wickets a piece by giving 25 and 0 runs in 8 and 2.2 overs respectively.

India’s start to their first innings was an aggressive one as Rohit Sharma hit Lungi Ngidi for 13 runs in the first over. However, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal once again failed to score and was dismissed for a duck. Shubman Gill came up and played some solid shots from the start.

ICYMI!

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A 6⃣-wicket haul in Cape Town! ??

Drop an emoji to describe that spell ?#TeamIndia | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/PAthXf73Ao

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 3, 2024

The duo of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 55 runs for the second wicket but it was soon broken by Nandre Burger, who dismissed Rohit for 39 runs courtesy of a brilliant gully catch by Marco Jansen. Gill also didn’t last long at the crease and it was Burger again who struck for South Africa and removed Gill for 36 runs.

It was another day another failure for Shreyas Iyer in Test cricket as Nandre Burger showed him the way back to the dressing room by removing him for a duck. While wickets continued to tumble at one end, Indian batsman Virat Kohli was steady at the other end. India ended at 111/4 at Tea.

Virat Kohli continued his solid approach after Tea and took India’s score from 111/4 to 153/4. However, India faced one of the worst batting collapses in the history of international cricket as they lost all their rest six wickets for a score of 153 runs.

The chain started with KL Rahul who had to depart for 8 runs courtesy of Lungi Ngidi, whereas it was Kagiso Rabada who got rid of Virat Kohli for 8 runs. Soon after Virat and Rahul’s departure, India’s lower order was not able to add any runs, and Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj were dismissed for a duck. Nandre Burger (3/42), Kagiso Rabada (3/38), and Lungi Ngidi (3/30) finished the innings with a three-wicket haul. India finished the first innings at 153 runs and gained a lead of 98 runs.

In reply, the South African openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar came up with a positive mindset and added 37 runs for the first wicket. However, it was Mukesh Kumar who removed Elgar for 12 runs and got him caught at slips by Virat Kohli.

What will happen on Day 2?

This was the last time Dean Elgar was batting in his international career and shared warm hugs from the Indian players. Soon after his departure, Tony de Zorzi was the next to fall for 1 run to Mukesh Kumar whereas Tristan Stubbs became the third South African wicket to fall in the second innings off Jasprit Bumrah for 1 run.

In the end, the Proteas ended Day 1 at 62/3 in 17 overs as Aiden Markram and David Bedingham were at the crease. South Africa currently trail by 36 runs in reply to India’s first-innings lead.