Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Indian bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar (R) celebrates the dismissal of South African batsman Hashim Amla (L) during Day One of the First Test cricket match between South Africa and India at Newlands cricket ground on January 5, 2018 in Cape Town. / AFP PHOTO / GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (Photo credit should read GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)

South Africa struck back on day one after they were dismissed early on the first day of the first Test in Newlands at Cape Town. South Africa was bowled out for 286 on the first day despite winning the toss and opting to bat first. Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut, and Rohit Sharma also made it to the playing XI instead of Ajinkya Rahane which came as a surprise to most of the Indian fans.

Jasprit Bumrah, IPL, T20I, ODI, Debut Wickets
Jasprit Bumrah bowled 19 overs for his one-wicket as he gave away 73 runs. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

However, the majority of the day belonged to the Indian team as they bowled out the hosts on the first-day courtesy Bhuvaneshwar Kumar who removed the African top order. On the other hand, AB De Villiers played an entertaining innings to rescue South Africa from the early jitters.

Let’s have a look at the three turning points on day one.

  1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar rips apart the South African top order 

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar
    Image Courtesy: Twitter

Bhuvaneshwar, who is playing his first Test in South Africa, impressed in the very first session of the match as he picked up the wickets of Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, and Hashim Amla. Elgar had a rare failure as he was removed for a third ball duck and gave India a perfect start in the Test. Markram has had an impressive start to his Test career, but his first match against a high-end team failed. Bhuvneshwar picked up Markram for just five runs. He also picked up the wicket of South Africa’s mainstays at the top of the order Hashim Amla who was dismissed on three.

2. AB De Villiers Wicket Triggers a Collapse

South Africa Vs India, Jasprit Bumrah, Cape Town, Quinton de Kock, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
AB de Villiers was undone by Bumrah. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Just as India felt that they had the upper hand, South Africa’s two most reliable batsmen in the day started playing their shots and started playing counter-attacking cricket to put India on the back foot. The hosts went on the lunch break with both the batsmen dominating the Indian bowlers. De Villiers completed his half-century just after the lunch break and looked set for a big score. However, Indian bowlers had some different plans. Jasprit Bumrah bowled a delivery which nipped back and took De Villiers inside edge, and the ball hit the off stump. De Villiers was dismissed on 65. His wicket triggered a mini-collapse as the hosts lost the wickets of Faf Du Plessis, Quinton De Kock and Vernon Philander in quick succession.

  1. South Africa makes early inroads as openers fall early 
Morne Morkel
Teammates congratulate South Africa bowler Morne Morkel (3L) after dismissing unseen Indian batsman Virat Kohli during the first day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and India at Newlands in Cape Town on January 5, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (Photo credit should read GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)

South Africa’s opening bowlers, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn made early inroads to the Indian batting line up early on in the innings. Philander picked up the wicket of the Murali Vijay who was chased a wide delivery and edged one to slips. Shikhar Dhawan, on the other hand, pulled one straight up and Dale Steyn took a comfortable catch off his bowling. India’s skipper Virat Kohli also lost his wicket to Morne Morkel on just five.

Follow more India’s tour of South Africa 2018 here.

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