As many as 23 wickets fell on the first day of a Test match. Six wickets went down without a run being added to the score, the first such instance to have taken place in the history of Test cricket. At stumps, South Africa had already lost three wickets for 62 runs in their second innings against an India attack that had asked questions of every batter.
The first few lines tell everything you want to know about the dramatic opening day in the second Test in Cape Town. South Africa were shot out for a mere 55. India could only muster 153. In the second dig, the hosts are still 36 behind. On a treacherous pitch, Mohammed Siraj turned out to be the mainstay of the Indian attack, bagging a six-for. Mukesh Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah also chipped in with wickets. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger shared the scalps for South Africa.
Dean Elgar, playing in his final international match, won the toss and opted to bat. It didn’t take long for India to strike as Aiden Markram pushed one off Siraj to the third slip fielder. Elgar, who has been a thorn in India’s flesh in the past, inside-edged one onto the stumps off Siraj. At 11 for 2, Bumrah extracted a bit of extra bounce and Tristan Stubbs could only spoon a catch to Rohit Sharma at short leg.
The procession of wickets continued as Zorzi glanced one to KL Rahul behind the stumps, who in turn took a fine catch. For a while, David Bedingham looked in reasonable touch, cracking a couple of boundaries off Bumrah. However, on a pitch that was offering considerable seam movement and some variable bounce, it seemed a matter of time before India would pick up another wicket.
In the 16th over, Siraj bowled a snorter as he extracted variable bounce from a good length and Bedingham could only offer a catch to the cordon. The last six wickets fell for a mere 21 runs as South Africa were snuffed out in under 24 overs. Siraj, on the other hand, was rewarded for his sustained hostility as he recorded his best figures in a Test.
IND vs SA | Day 1 Stumps: Live Discussion https://t.co/FPLv0dH1B0
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The visitors were certainly intent on scoring runs on a difficult deck as Rohit landed three fours in an over. Although Jaiswal fell for no score, Rohit and Shubman Gill recorded a 67-run stand to put India very much on top. Under severe pressure, South Africa also couldn’t stem the run flow as Burger gave away 12 runs in an over. Burger, however, made amends for it by removing Rohit with a lifter soon enough.
Virat Kohli, who replaced Rohit, was India’s best batter on the day, ending up with 46. He was even ready to play on-the-up drives in order to keep the scorecard moving. At 153 for 4, he seemed to have put India on course for a total of around 250. Just then we ended witnessing a mind-boggling collapse. Rahul tried to upper-cut Ngidi but could only edge it to the ‘keeper. Ngidi also accounted for the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Bumrah in the same over. In the very next over, Rabada and a run-out ensured that India were bowled out in just under 35 overs.
Most Wickets fallen in one day of a Test match in Cape Town
23 – SA vs Aus, 2nd day, 2011
23 – SA vs Ind, 1st day, 2024
19 – SA vs Eng, 2nd day, 1889
18 – SA vs Ind, 4th day, 2018#SAvsIND📸 @BCCI pic.twitter.com/s8a4QkS7gQ
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 3, 2024
The action and drama didn’t stop there as Mukesh consistently bowled with a straight seam and produced the scalps of both Elgar and Tony de Zorzi. On his way back to the pavilion, Elgar got a hug from Kohli and was congratulated by the players. Bumrah then dismissed Stubbs for the second time with a brute. Despite losing his batting partners, Markram played some delightful drives and kept the Peoteas in it.
India would still fancy their chances of coming out on top in the Test. Just that their collapse has given South Africa a small window of making a comeback at the end of a crazy first day.
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