SA vs IND 2018: South Africa Strike Back as Indian Openers Fall Early

South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch favorable for bowling. For India, Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut as India went in with five batsman and five bowlers with Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps. Rohit Sharma also made it to the playing XI instead of Ajinkya Rahane who will be disappointed as he has been India’s middle order mainstay on away tours. With Rahane sitting out, Hardik Pandya also made it to the playing XI.

South Africa, on the other hand, went in four fast bowlers in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander and one spinner in Keshav Maharaj. South Africa had a dismal start to the first Test of 2018 as they lost their primary run getter of last year Dean Elgar on the third ball of the day of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Kumar then caused havoc in the South African top order as he dismissed Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla in quick succession on five and three respectively.

AB De Villiers and skipper Faf Du Plessis then played counter attacking cricket, especially De Villiers who went after India’s strike bowler Kumar and hit four boundaries in his one over to put India on the back foot. South Africa went into the lunch break on 107/3 with both the batsmen dominating Indian bowlers.

De Villiers continued to play his shots in the second session and completed his half century early in the session. Just when the Indian bowling started looking dull again, Jasprit Bumrah got his first Test wicket in the form of De Villiers who dragged one on to his off stump on 65. Du Plessis on the other hand also completed his half century just after De Villiers was dismissed. Du Plessis survived an LBW appeal which the Indian captain Virat Kohli reviewed. The ball clipped the bails but was saved on umpires call. However, he was dismissed in the same over while playing a rash shot on wide on the off stump of Hardik Pandya’s bowling. He made 62 runs.

Quinton De Kock also got a start but nicked one to Saha off the bowling of Kumar and becoming his fourth wicket of the innings. Mohammad Shami then got himself involved in the game by bowling a beauty to flick the bails and dismiss Philander.

Keshav Maharaj scored a handy 35 lower down the order but a mix up with Kagiso Rabada and a direct hit by Ravichandran Ashwin who had a little part to play in the day got rid of Maharaj. He also got rid of the rest of the tail as Rabada nicked one of his bowling and he trapped Morne Morkel in front of the stumps. South Africa was dismissed for a mere 286 in 73 overs on day one of the first Test.

India in their first innings lost both their openers early on. Vijay chased a wide delivery to edge one to the slip cordon where Dean Elgar held on to the catch. Dhawan, on the other hand, tried to take the attacking route. He tried to pull one ball of Dale Steyn who was playing his first match after November 2016 and hit it straight up which Steyn took comfortably.

India’s skipper Virat Kohli came in next but could not last long as he edged one past to De Kock on Morkel’s first delivery of the match as he could only score five. India was 28/3 at stumps on day one with Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma at the crease.

Here is the video of Kohli’s dismissal:

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