Shubman Gill's India create history, do this for the 1st time ever in Tests

The India National Cricket Team created a rare piece of Test history at the Eden Gardens as the Shubman Gill-led side walked out with a lineup unlike anything seen before against the South Africa National Cricket Team on Friday (November 14) in Kolkata.

Currently, India is currently taking on the defending ICC World Test Championship (WTC) champions, South Africa, in the two-match Test series opener at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The hosts have dropped Sai Sudharsan from the playing XI to make a rare lineup for the match.

India create Test history with six left-handers at Eden Gardens

For the first time ever, the Indian Test XI featured six left-hand batters. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav—all left-handers—featured in India’s playing XI for the ongoing first Test against South Africa in Kolkata.

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The lineup dominated by left-handers gave the Indian cricket team a unique look that has never been witnessed in the long history of Indian cricket in the traditional format of the game.

India play 4 specialist spinners in Tests after 12 years

But the surprises didn’t stop there. Actually, India also fielded four spinners in the same Kolkata Test against South Africa. The last time India played four specialist spinners in a Test match was way back in December 2012 against England in Nagpur.

With Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar all doubling up as genuine all-rounders, and Kuldeep Yadav bringing in his wrist-spin magic, India stacked its bowling attack heavily with the spinners for the ongoing first Test against the Proteas side at the Eden Gardens.

South Africa crumble after fiery start against India in Kolkata Test

Meanwhile, South Africa walked into the first innings with confidence after winning a big toss, but what followed turned into a stunning collapse against India. From a strong 57 without loss, they could add only 102 more runs, ending with their second-lowest first-innings score against India.

Read Also: Rishabh Pant brutally mocks South Africa batters, exposes big flaw in their technique during 1st Test

The start looked perfect for the visitors. The openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram came out firing, and South Africa seemed set for a commanding total on a pitch that had uneven bounce. But India needed only one breakthrough to flip the script at Eden Gardens.

Jasprit Bumrah bowled a long, testing first spell and finally cracked the partnership in his sixth over. Bumrah sent both openers back in the dressing room, and then captain Temba Bavuma also fell for just 3 runs, leaving South Africa at 71 for 3 against India in the Kolkata Test.

The middle order tried to fight back. Wiaan Mulder (24), Tony de Zorzi (24), and Kyle Verreynne (16) all looked promising; they all got starts, but they all got out in almost the same fashion, and India kept tightening the pressure on the Proteas side at the Eden Gardens.

After tea, Bumrah scalped the final two wickets with ruthless precision as South Africa was bowled out for just 159 runs in their first innings in the first Test against India in Kolkata. Bumrah finished with a stunning spell of 5/27 in 14 runs, while Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav each managed two wickets against South Africa at Eden Gardens.