In the opening day of the first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium in Gqeberha, India faced a challenging start but managed to post a respectable total of 208 for 8 at stumps.
The pitch at SuperSport Park, known for its pace and assistance to batsmen, set the stage for an exciting day of cricket. However, India’s batting lineup stumbled early on, with the top order failing to make significant contributions. Yashasvi Jaiswal (17), Rohit Sharma (5), and Shubman Gill (2) were dismissed cheaply, leaving India reeling at 24 for 3.
Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer attempted to stabilize the innings, with Kohli scoring an elegant 38 and Iyer contributing 31. However, Kagiso Rabada’s outstanding bowling, claiming 5 wickets for 44 runs, kept the pressure on the Indian batsmen.
KL Rahul emerged as the top scorer for India, showcasing resilience and skill to remain unbeaten on 70, bolstering India’s total. His knock was critical in steering India past the 200-run mark, despite losing partners at the other end.
South Africa’s debutant Nandre Burger also made an impact, taking 2 wickets for 50 runs. His early breakthroughs set the tone for South Africa’s bowling dominance throughout the day.
An unfortunate incident for South Africa was the injury to their captain, Temba Bavuma, who had to leave the field due to a hamstring strain. This could be a significant blow for the host team if Bavuma is unable to participate in the remainder of the Test.
India vs South Africa 1st Test, Day 1 – Brief Scoreboard
- India 1st Innings: 208/8 (59 overs)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: 17 (37 balls)
- Rohit Sharma (c): 5 (14 balls)
- Shubman Gill: 2 (12 balls)
- Virat Kohli: 38 (64 balls)
- Shreyas Iyer: 31 (50 balls)
- KL Rahul (wk): 70* (105 balls)
- Ravichandran Ashwin: 8 (11 balls)
- Shardul Thakur: 24 (33 balls)
- Jasprit Bumrah: 1 (19 balls)
- Mohammed Siraj: 0* (10 balls)
- Prasidh Krishna: Did not bat
- Fall of Wickets:
- 13-1 (Rohit Sharma, 4.6 ov),
- 23-2 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 9.4 ov),
- 24-3 (Shubman Gill, 11.1 ov),
- 92-4 (Shreyas Iyer, 26.6 ov),
- 107-5 (Virat Kohli, 30.6 ov),
- 121-6 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 34.6 ov),
- 164-7 (Shardul Thakur, 46.2 ov),
- 191-8 (Jasprit Bumrah, 54.3 ov)
- South Africa Bowling:
- Kagiso Rabada: 17 overs, 3 maidens, 44 runs, 5 wickets
- Marco Jansen: 15 overs, 1 maiden, 52 runs, 1 wicket
- Nandre Burger: 15 overs, 4 maidens, 50 runs, 2 wickets
- Gerald Coetzee: 12 overs, 1 maiden, 53 runs, 0 wickets
