On Day 3 of the first Test between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens, the visitors put on a sterling display with both bat and ball to usurp India in their own den. Temba Bavuma and the lower order stitched vital stands to take South Africa to a target that was defendable. Simon Harmer then put on a masterclass in spin bowling and was well supported by Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram to power South Africa to their first-ever Test win in India since 2010.
So, what were the major takeaways from India’s heartbreaking loss? At Revsportz, we list them out:
Bavuma’s superlative effort
On a track that offered more than enough assistance for both pacers and spinners, he played with composure to help South Africa add a crucial 60 runs in the morning session. Bavuma also blended temperament with excellent technique, he played beside the line and late. With a shorter backlift, he was also able to negate the threat of low bounce to a large extent. Corbin Bosch also played his part with an aggressive hand of 25 in the second essay, sharing an alliance of 44 for the eighth wicket with his skipper.
The Harmer magic
Simon Harmer possesses more than enough weapons in his armoury. He can bowl sidespin and get it to turn at pace. He can also bowl overspin and mix it up with clever changes in line, length and pace. In the second innings, sometimes he would beat left-hand batters with turn and then attempt a slider or york the opponent. In summary, it was a masterclass in spin bowling, with him ending up with eight for the match.
What went wrong for India in the second innings?
When Kuldeep Yadav was dismissed, India were scoring at a rate of just over two an over. On a spin-friendly deck, with enough deliveries keeping low, the batter is never really in. In such circumstances, especially while chasing down the target, India required someone to take risks. Unfortunately, the one batter who could have done it, Rishabh Pant, was dislodged by Harmer. By the time Axar Patel landed a few slog-sweeps, India were up against it.
The other question to address here is: have the Indian batters evolved as a team against spin bowling in the DRS era? Perhaps not. In the DRS era, finger spinners are generally bowling quicker through the air. Logic says it is better to attempt sweeps and reverse-sweeps on turners. The Indian batting unit isn’t exactly known for playing those shots.
Eden Gardens track – the talk of the town
It is true that the Eden Gardens deck was a substandard one. There was too much variable bounce, with a sizeable portion of the deliveries staying low. But over many decades, more often than not, Indian teams used to emerge triumphant in such conditions. In the last year, however, India have lost to New Zealand and South Africa whenever they have played in climes favouring spin – something that should be bothering the Indian camp.
Spare a thought for Shubman Gill
Last but not least, spare a thought for the injured Shubman Gill. The India skipper, who suffered a neck injury, couldn’t bat in the second innings. As captain of the side, he would have hoped to lead from the front. Instead, he would have had to watch the collapse somewhere in a hospital.
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