Guwahati, Nov 22 (IANS) Kuldeep Yadav’s three‑wicket haul became the standout bowling effort on the opening day of the first‑ever Test at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, as a persistent India restricted South Africa to 247/6 in 81.5 overs before bad light forced stumps to arrive early on day one.
The left‑arm wrist-spinner returned figures of 3-48, while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja took a wicket each as India got rewarded for their persistence by picking four wickets in the final session. On a good red soil batting pitch, all South African batters got good starts, but none went on to a half‑century.
Each time the batters looked to accelerate, India were sharp enough to seize the opportunity and pick scalps, thus ensuring the visitors never fully ran away with opening day honours. With South Africa now into their lower order, India will aim to wrap up the innings quickly on Day Two.
In the morning, after electing to bat first, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton ensured South Africa had a steady start against new ball bowlers Bumrah and Siraj. The duo got decent carry and swing, though two sets of byes went against wicketkeeper and skipper Rishabh Pant’s name.
Though the atmosphere was subdued at India’s newest Test venue due to sparse attendance, which was in complete contrast to the well‑attended Eden Gardens Test last week, Bumrah and Siraj continued to keep the openers in check. Markram finally opened his account with a solid punch off Bumrah for four, before surviving a scare on four when Rahul dropped his catch at slip.
With Siraj bowling touch too full and wide, Markram and Rickelton scored a few boundaries off him, as South Africa reached 34/0 at the first drinks break. Nitish Kumar Reddy struggled for consistency — drifting onto the pads too often and conceding boundaries to Markram, while Kuldeep and Washington Sundar found some turn and bounce, though Rickelton got streaky boundaries off them.
Captain Pant’s decision to bring Bumrah late in the session to deliver the breakthrough paid off when he had Markram chopping on to his stumps for 38, and Rahul, who had earlier spilt a chance of him, had a smile full of relief on his face as India finally had a wicket before tea break.
The second session began with a bang for India as Yadav got a flighted delivery to drift in before spinning away, and the outside edge on Rickelton’s attempted drive was safely pouched by Pant, as South Africa suddenly lost both of their set batters in quick succession.
After some quiet time, Temba Bavuma began by thumping Kuldeep over mid-on for four, before Tristan Stubbs got an outside edge off Siraj going for a boundary. Bavuma took on Siraj by pulling and punching him for successive boundaries, before Stubbs danced down the pitch to loft Kuldeep over long-on for six.
Though Kuldeep and Jadeja tested the duo, it was of little effect as Bavuma, who survived an lbw appeal off the latter and forced India to burn a review on him, and Stubbs remained rock solid. With little assistance on offer for the spinners, India reverted to pace from both ends, and that didn’t result in a change of fortunes as runs continued to flow.
India had a bit of a scare when Siraj suffered a knock on his knee during a mid‑pitch collision with Stubbs, who was rushing through for a quick single. Stubbs was the first player to check on Siraj, before physio Kamlesh Jain came out with an ice pack to nurse the fast bowler. After two to three minutes of treatment, Siraj was back on his feet, and play resumed.
The sparse crowd swelled marginally as the second session unfolded, with South Africa holding firm against disciplined Indian bowling. It was classic Test cricket, marked by resolute batting from Bavuma and Stubbs, as 74 runs came in the second session. India were rewarded for their persistence after lunch as Jadeja removed Bavuma, who fell for 41 off 92 balls, attempting to loft over extra cover but instead chipped to mid‑off.
Bavuma’s dismissal ended his steady 84‑run stand with Stubbs. The breakthrough could have come earlier when Bavuma chanced a risky single in the second over after the lunch interval. But substitute fielder Devdutt Padikkal failed to gather cleanly at square leg, allowing Stubbs to escape.
After India continued to bowl probing lines on a surface offering little assistance, Kuldeep managed to dismiss Stubbs for 49 when the batter looked to defend, but the delivery bounced a fraction more and held its line, with Rahul taking a sharp catch at first slip.
South Africa’s inexperience in Indian conditions was further exposed when Kuldeep lured Wiaan Mulder into playing a big shot on a generously tossed‑up delivery that dipped, and with not much elevation in the shot, it made for a straightforward catch to mid‑off. For a short while, India’s disciplined bowling was quelled by Tony de Zorzi and Senuran Muthusamy, hitting seven boundaries between themselves.
But Mohammed Siraj struck with the first ball of his spell with the second new ball to dismiss de Zorzi, thanks to a brilliant catch from captain Rishabh Pant diving to his left to complete a superb take with both hands in front of first slip. The dismissal provided India with a timely lift late to end day one on a high.
Brief scores:
South Africa 247/6 in 81.5 overs (Tristan Stubbs 49, Temba Bavuma 41; Kuldeep Yadav 3-48, Ravindra Jadeja 1-30) against India
–IANS
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