India emerge on top after 23-wicket mayhem in Cape Town

 

Amidst the cricketing battleground in Cape Town, a captivating tale unfolded on the first day, witnessing South Africa at 62 for 3 (Markram 36*, Mukesh 2-25) and 55 (Verreynne 15, Siraj 6-15, Mukesh 2-0), trailing India's 153 (Kohli 46, Rohit 39, Ngidi 3-30) by a mere 36 runs.

In a tumultuous display, a staggering 23 wickets fell on this chaotic day, marked by an unprecedented collapse of 6 for 0 – a cricketing rarity not witnessed in 2522 Tests. India etched an unwanted record, tumbling from 153 for 4 to 153 all out in just 11 balls, responding to South Africa's earlier collapse to 55 all out.

Despite this upheaval, India held the advantage on the Newlands pitch, offering excessive seam movement and unpredictable bounce throughout the day. The aged ball, defying expectations, misbehaved off the surface, posing a formidable challenge for the batsmen, particularly when compelled to make a stroke. This day in Cape Town saw the highest number of wickets falling in a Test match in this century.

A peculiar record unfolded as Dean Elgar became only the second player, following Australia's Jack Barrett in 1890, to be dismissed twice on the same day in his last Test. Choosing to bat, Elgar succumbed to Mohammed Siraj's precise delivery off an inside edge for a mere 4 runs in the first innings, as South Africa crumbled in 23.2 overs. Siraj's remarkable new-ball spell of 9-3-15-6 dismantled South Africa for 55, the lowest total against India in Test cricket, in a single session. India swiftly seized the lead, with Rohit Sharma showcasing an aggressive run rate in the early exchanges. However, a late collapse, triggered by Lungi Ngidi's triple-strike, revived South Africa's prospects.

Aiden Markram, the first to fall in the day, resiliently faced 51 balls in South Africa's second innings, edging his team closer to parity. Nevertheless, India maintains a substantial lead of 36, appearing even more commanding on this challenging surface.

Both South Africa and India showcased a lack of control in their first innings, with South Africa succumbing for 55, paying the price for one in five mistakes. India mirrored this pattern, lacking control in 50 of their shots, echoing the ratio of one in five. Overall, only seven double-digit scores emerged across three innings. Should this match conclude in under 34.1 overs on Thursday, it would set a record as the shortest Test ever.

The chaos on Wednesday was initiated by Siraj, who skillfully exploited the perfect length and outside edges. While probing around off stump for right-handers, he dismissed Elgar and Tony de Zorzi with a middle-and-leg line, employing a deepish short leg and leg slip. A pivotal moment came with the dismissal of David Bedingham, as Siraj's delivery reared up viciously, ballooning into Bedingham's glove and landing in the hands of third slip. Mukesh Kumar, replacing Shardul Thakur, played a crucial role in wrapping up the tail.

Rohit Sharma aggressively took on Ngidi and Nandre Burger, capitalizing on their inaccurate deliveries. However, Ngidi's later resurgence and Burger's adjustments led to the downfall of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, leaving India at 110 for 4. Virat Kohli, showcasing comfort in the middle, continued to display his shots, particularly the drives. Ngidi's return to the attack unleashed a barrage, bouncing out Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah in the 34th over. The significant seam movement and variable bounce proved challenging, and Kohli himself fell victim to the 6 for 0 collapse. Yet, India's batsmen had done enough to secure their team's advantage on this frenzied day.

#Dean Elgar#Mohammed Siraj#Lungi Ngidi#India#South Africa#South Africa vs India#India in South Africa#ICC World Test Championship