SA vs IND 2018: Three Turning Points on Day Four

Fast bowlers dictated terms on the fourth day of the first Test of at Newlands in Cape Town as 18 wickets fell in the day with South Africa and the hosts won the match by 72 runs after setting India a target of 208 runs in the fourth innings. South Africa began day four on 65/2 but lost their last eight wickets for 65 runs with AB De Villiers being the highest scorer with 35 runs.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami took three wickets each for the Indian team and were instrumental in dismissing the hosts for a low score of 130.

Indian top order failed again in the second innings with Virat Kohli being the highest scorer amongst the recognized batsman. Vernon Philander took three crucial wickets of Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma as India lost seven wickets for 82 runs in the second session of the day.

Let’s have a look at the three turning points of the day-:

1. Indian bowlers get the better of the South African batsmen

Indian bowlers turned the match around in the first session, as they bowled out South African batsmen in the first session of the fourth day. The hosts lost their last eight wickets for just 65 runs as debutant Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami took three wickets each while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya took two wickets a piece. De Villiers was the top scorer for the hosts with 35 runs.

2. Vernon Philander shifts the game in South Africa’s favour

Vernon Philander ripped through the Indian batting line up and was equally accompanied by Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada as they managed to pick seven Indian wickets for just 82 runs in the second session of day four. Philander took the three crucial wickets of Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma to rock the Indian batting line up. Philander was adjudged the man of the match for picking up six for 42 in the second innings.

3. Du Plessis Captaincy masterclass to dismiss Ravichandran Ashwin

South African fast bowlers had reduced India to 82/7 which brought Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the crease. The two batsmen started playing their shots and looked comfortable against the seeming deliveries by Vernon Philander. Du Plessis brought in the spinner, Keshav Maharaj to change the tempo of the game but this made run making easier for the two Indian batsmen. Ashwin used his feet to tackle the swing by Philander on some occasions. Du Plessis decided to bring the keeper up to the stumps to the fast bowler. Ashwin nicked the very first delivery, and De Kock took a great catch behind the stumps. Philander picked the remaining two wickets in the same over to wrap up the match for the hosts.

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