India need 208 runs to win the first test of the ongoing 3-match series in Cape Town on Monday.
India were all out for 135 as South Africa won the opening match of the 3-test series on Monday. Indian batsmen were bundled out in just 42.4 overs after South Africa have set them a target of 208 runs.
Indian batting line-up gain failed to live up to their potential falling cheaply against South African pace attack which looked potent enough despite the absence of Dale Steyn.
India lost Shikhar Dhawan(16) and Murali Vijay (13) early in the chase. Dhawan was caught by substitute of Morne Morkel's bowling. Vijay was dismissed by Philander and the catch was taken by AB de Villiers. Cheteshwar Pujara was then dismissed for 4 edging ine to wicketkeeper de Kock.
Virat Kohli offered a brief resistance, but was trapped lbw by Philander after scoring a quick-fire 28 of 40 balls with 4 fours. He missed a straight one from Philander and was trapped in front. He opted for a review but it was to no avail.
Rohit Sharma got a life when Maharaj dropped an absolute sitter. But his joy was short lived as Philander soon cleaned him up. Rohit was dismissed for 10 only. Pandya who played a stellar hand in the first innings disappointed in the second outing falling for paltry 1. He was dismissed by Rabada with de Villiers taking the catch.
India's last recognised batsman Wriddhiman Saha departed off the last ball of the session.
After the tea, Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar made a last stand of 49 runs. However, Ashwin fell at 131 after scoring 37 runs and the last two wickets followed soon. Bhuvneshwar stood unbeaten at 13 as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Earlier, South Africa were all out for 130 runs in their second innings. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were the pick of the bowlers with 3-wickets each while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya finished with 2 wickets each.
India’s seamers exploited the lively Newlands wicket to tear through South Africa’s brittle batting line-up. India bowled South Africa out for 130 in their second innings as they took eight wickets for 65 to swing the test in their favour, though they must still bat last on a wicket offering pace, bounce and lateral movement.
After the third day was a complete washout, South Africa resumed on 65 for two, but apart from a fighting 35 from AB de Villiers, they had no answer to the venom and accuracy of the Indian attack.
The home side’s chances of victory are also hampered by the loss of seamer Dale Steyn to a heel injury, and the fact that India will have five sessions and a good weather forecast to secure a win in the opening match of the three-game series. South Africa’s problems started early as they lost Hashim Amla (four) having added just one run to their overnight total when he was caught by Rohit Sharma at third slip off Mohammed Shami. Amla stood his ground believing the ball to have bounced and with television replays inconclusive, the soft signal of out from umpire Michael Gough stood.
From then it was something of a procession as nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada (five) became Shami’s second victim, before debutant seamer Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) picked up the key wickets of Faf du Plessis (zero) and Quinton de Kock (eight), both caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Shami had Vernon Philander (nought) trapped lbw, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar accounted for Keshav Maharaj (15) and Morne Morkel (two) as Saha collected two more catches. Steyn limped to the wicket to try to hold up an end for an attacking De Villiers, but the latter was caught on the boundary by Kumar off Bumrah to end the innings.
India were bowled out for 209 in their first innings and will need one less for victory this time round, though on the evidence of the morning session the wicket has become even more difficult to bat on.
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 "Philander after taking the wicket")
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