For the first 10 overs at Eden Gardens, despite the ball misbehaving occasionally, the bat held sway with Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton on a mission to cash in on Shubman Gill’s continued misadventures with the spin of the coin. Then, Jasprit Bumrah happened, blowing South Africa away on Day One of the two-Test series.
Bumrah’s first over of the match, which kicked off the opening Test, had everything — uncontrolled swing and uneven bounce, with one ball scooting through and running away for four byes, the next climbing alarmingly from the same spot. Even the virtuoso took a while to assess the surface, but once he had its measure, there was no stopping Bumrah.
Pace over spin
If South Africa imploded from 57 without loss to 159 all out, it was primarily on the back of three sustained bursts of hostility from the pacer, whose remarkable 5-27 was his third five-for in his last six Tests. Having packed their XI with four spinners for the first time since December 2012 against England in Nagpur, India eventually had their master craftsman to thank for lording the exchanges against the reigning World Test champions.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav is ecstatic after dismissing SA skipper Temba Bavuma
In the 20 overs possible before bad light ended the entertainment for more than 36,000 delirious fans, a cautious India reached 37 for the loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal. KL Rahul and Washington Sundar, promoted to No. 3 after Sai Sudharsan was dropped to accommodate Axar Patel, will resume Saturday’s second day secure in the knowledge that they won’t have to encounter Kagiso Rabada, a non-starter following a rib injury picked up on Tuesday, but aware that the inconsistent bounce will require them and the rest of their colleagues to be on point.
Bumrah was unquestionably on point, repeatedly attacking the stumps as he tried to make the most of the uneven bounce. Rickelton got off to a flier, targeting an initially wayward Mohammed Siraj, while Markram opened up after being stuck on nought for 22 deliveries, the runs flowing freely once the balls was directed into gaps.
Just as the opening salvo was assuming pesky proportions, Bumrah struck in his sixth over, beating the left-handed Rickelton on the outside edge from round the stumps to hit his off peg. In his next over — he unusually bowled seven in his first spell — he produced a lifter out of nowhere, compelling the set Markram to edge to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. In the space of five deliveries, Bumrah had tilted the balance, and Kuldeep Yadav added to the visitors’ misery by having Temba Bavuma smartly caught at leg-slip by Dhruv Jurel.
Proteas collapse
Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi resisted gamely while adding 43 for the fourth wicket when, in the third over after lunch, the former tried to reverse Kuldeep and was trapped in front. That set off a collapse of seven for 45 with Bumrah and Siraj, vastly improved when he operated from the Pavilion End, sending the Proteas on an unchecked downward spiral. Four batters got past 20, but Markram’s 31 was the highest individual score. India, batting deep with Axar slotted at No. 8, will seek to avoid a similar banana skin.