Kuldeep and Siraj rattle South Africa after lunch

KOLKATA, India :India prised out five wickets in the second session to reduce South Africa to 154 for eight at tea on day one of the opening test at Eden Gardens on Friday.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Mohammed Siraj claimed two wickets apiece to put India on top in the first match of the two-test series.

Tristan Stubbs was batting on 15 having lost partner Corbin Bosch (three) to spinner Axar Patel on the stroke of tea.

South Africa had won the toss and began cautiously with Aiden Markram (31) taking 23 balls to get off the mark.

India introduced spin in the eighth over but Markram hit Axar for two fours in that over before smacking a six in the left-arm spinner's next over.

Bumrah bowled Ryan Rickelton (23) to break the 57-run opening stand and went on to dismiss Markram caught behind.

Dhruv Jurel took a smart catch to remove Temba Bavuma for three after the South Africa skipper deflected a Kuldeep delivery into the fielder's hands at leg slip.

Kuldeep then removed Wiian Mulder (24) after lunch and Tony de Zorzi (24) also failed to convert the start he got and became Bumrah's third victim.

Siraj dismissed Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen in the same over to turn the screw on the visitors.

Reigning world test champions South Africa will have their work cut out with the ball after pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the series opener with a rib injury.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)