Watch: South Africa Pacer Tries To Scare Virat Kohli. Sunil Gavaskar's Reaction Is Gold

03.01.2024 - 14:22 sports.ndtv.com

It will be a day which will etched in the history of Indian cricket forever. Dismissing a team for a double digit figure is a big feat, and India did it in emphatic fashion against South Africa on Day 1 of the second Test.

A career-best six-wicket haul from Mohammed Siraj helped India dismiss South Africa for a lowly 55 before the visitors were dismissed for 153.

At Tea, India led the Proteas by 56 runs despite losing the top order. The pitch wasn't the easiest for batting and the match could end well inside three days if not two.

In a straight spell of nine overs, Siraj picked six for 15 as the South African batters made a beeline back to the dug-out, unable to counter the disconcerting bounce and the movement, both inward and outward, that he extracted off the surface.

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India's tour of South Africa left a bitter-sweet taste in the mouths of Indian players. The 1-1 draw was satisfactory but the performance of Indian batters on tricky pitches left a lot to be desired. One batter who particularly underperformed was Shreyas Iyer, scoring just 41 runs in 4 innings at an average of 13.67. However, India legend Sunil Gavaskar doesn't think the selectors will look too much into Iyer's performance as he wasn't the only batter who failed in the 2-match series.

India vs South Africa: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's DRS Discussion In Second Test Has Internet In Splits For 'Wrong' Language

With just one wicket to go and three reviews remaining, the Indian cricket team decided to make use of their resources, although knowing that the result was unlikely to come in their favour. Mohammed Siraj hit South Africa's Nandre Burger high on the right right, on Day 2 of the second Test at Cape Town, but the umpire had little interest in rewarding Team India's appeal. However, realising that India have three DRS calls to spare, Rohit contemplated going for a review, after a brief discussion with teammates, but eventually decided against taking it.

"Sorry, You're Not A Batter If...": Sunil Gavaskar's Attack Post India vs South Africa 2nd Test

The India vs South Africa 2nd Test ended inside two days. In all, only five days of cricket action was possible to see in the two-match Test series. While the first Test ended in three days, the second Test's duration was beyond explanation. Thrice the teams were all out in a span of five sessions. While the pitch at the Newlands Stadium is under question, there are those who have raised questions at the batters' technique too.

Watch: Major Injury Averted After Ball Hits Virat Kohli On The Face During Dramatic India vs South Africa Test

Fielding in the slips is never easy, with deliveries coming at pace after edging the blades of batters. On occasions, players fielding in the slips get hit on the body while attempting to catch or stop a ball. That is what happened with India star Virat Kohli in the second Test of the series against South Africa in Cape Town. The ball kissed the bat of Proteas batter David Bedingham's bat before awkwardly falling in front of Kohli. The India star tried to stop the ball but it bounced off his hand and hit him in the face.

On Day 1 Chaos In 1st Test, Sunil Gavaskar Surprised By South Africa's Dramatic Call

Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday expressed surprise at South African skipper Dean Elgar's decision to bat first in the second Test against India. Elgar's decision backfired as South Africa were bundled out for 55, their lowest total against India. India were on course for a big lead until losing their last six wickets for no run to be all out for 153, limiting their first innings advantage to 98 runs. "Well, I tell you what, I was a bit surprised by what happened," Gavaskar said in his match analysis on Star Sports.

"Virat Kohli Told Camerapersons To...": Intriguing Details Of India's Practice Before Do-Or-Die Test vs South Africa

The first Test of 2024 for the Indian cricket team is a do-or-die one. Against South Africa in Cape Town, the Rohit Sharma-led side needs a win to draw the series. after an embarrassing loss by an innings and 32 runs, the Indian cricket team has its task cut out for the second Test. There will be much intrigue surrounding India's playing XI too. Many experts have predicted that there will be two changes in the XI. Ravichandran Ashwin may make way for Ravindra Jadeja while Mukesh Kumar may replace Prasidh Krishna.