SA v India: 23 wickets fall on manic opening day of Cape Town Test

03.01.2024 - 22:21 thenationalnews.com

An incredible 23 wickets fell on the first day of the New Year's Test between South Africa and India in Cape Town, with the hosts reaching 62-3 at stumps in their second innings, trailing the tourists by 36 runs.

Aiden Markram (36 not out) and David Bedingham (seven not out) were at the crease, hoping to post a challenging target for India.

Seamer Mohammed Siraj started the day in scintillating fashion, picking up career-best 6-15 as the visitors skittled their hosts for just 55 in the first innings after they elected to bat on a wicket offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers.

India were coasting at 153-4 in reply, on track to bat just once in the game and take a match-winning lead. But then came the most incredible passage of play as India lost six wickets without scoring a run, the first time that has happened in Tests.

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India registered a series-levelling seven-wicket victory against South Africa in the shortest game ever played in Test history. The match could not last for even two days despite both the sides coming to bat twice on the surface of Newlands, Cape Town -- the venue for the game. With the pitch offering additional bounce to pacers, all the batters, barring Virat Kohli and Aiden Markram, failed to impress. South Africa were bundled out for 55 runs in the first session while India were bowled out for 153 in reply.

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South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad Thursday termed the Newlands surface on which the shortest Test match in the history of the game was played as "not great" and where sheer luck trumped pure skill. India beat South Africa by seven wickets in a match that was played for just 106.2 overs and ended in a day and a little over one session. "I don't know what people want me to say. You only need to look at the scores. 1.5-day Test match! You need to look at how they chased 80 (79). Sad state when you need more luck than skill. All the ethics and values of Test cricket goes out the window," Conrad, a former Western Province cricketer, lashed out after the series ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

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Following India's win over South Africa in the second Test that lasted for just 1.5 days, former England batter Kevin Pietersen poked fun at the match's duration, saying that there is enough time to play a series decider at Cape Town in order to have a true winner in this series. Bumrah's second-inning six-wicket haul made all the difference as, despite Aiden Markram's ton, South Africa could set only 79 for India to wrap up this Test in around 1.5 days, which India chased down successfully.

Jasprit Bumrah Surpasses Shane Warne In Elite List With 6-Wicket Haul In Cape Town

Jasprit Bumrah breathed fire on Thursday during the second and final Test match against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town. The right-arm pacer returned figures of 6 for 61 in 13.5 overs, helping India bundle out the Proteas for 176 in their second innings. India went on to win the game by 7 wickets. Bumrah's heroic show helped him surpass Australia's spin great Shane Warne and become the visiting bowler with the second-highest number of wickets in Test matches in Cape Town.

"On Such Type Of Wickets...": Sachin Tendulkar Delivers Ultimate Guide On Much-Criticised Cape Town Pitch

Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar credited Jasprit Bumrah's incisive bowling for the series-levelling seven-wicket win against South Africa in Cape Town on Thursday, saying the pacer was rewarded for consistently bowling in the channel. Bumrah produced a hostile spell of 6/61 in 13.5 overs as the Proteas were restricted to 176 in the second innings, setting India a mere 79-run target. India finished the job in 12 overs to record their first victory at Newlands in seven attempts.

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India captain Rohit Sharma said his team's seven-wicket victory over South Africa inside two days – the quickest win in Test history – had shown their ability to play anywhere in the world.