Of a popped seam, pep talk and tea break...

A popped out seam that was noticed two overs before tea allowed South Africa to change the ball and a pep talk by newly appointed coach Corrie van Zyl ahead of the final session proved decisive as South Africa caught India by the collar at the end of Day 3 of the first Test in Nagpur.

India went into tea at 221 for four and though Virender Sehwag had departed, no one saw them losing six first-innings wickets for just 12 runs just 36 minutes after resumption.

Dale Steyn’s skill apart, the collapse was also triggered by the
change of the ball two overs before tea before the start of the 56th over. The South Africans were allowed a replacement ball after it was noticed that the seam had loosened. The replacement ball was harder and immediately after tea Steyn managed to generate reverse swing.

“We had the ball changed because the one we were using had split open, and at once it started to reverse. We got one or two lucky dismissals...it just started a roll,” Steyn said.

Also during the tea break, coach Van Zyl sat the players down for a chat. He told them that the period after tea - the last session - was where visiting teams lost the plot in India.

“The days can be really long and warm here. And there is no real movement off the deck. So little speeches like that can really lift the players a lot. He told us that we can either allow the game to slip away during the last session or grab it with both hands,” Steyn, who finished with career-best figures of seven for 51, revealed in the post match interaction with the media.

Steyn isn’t the first South African quick to enjoy success in Indian conditions. Allan Donald in early part of the decade and Lance Klusener have also enjoyed bowling here.

“To be honest, I haven’t spoken to anyone like Allan. But one thing that does happen in our side is that information gets passed on…Before the Test started, we said that reverse swing was going to be key on these pitches…You’ve got to rely on getting the ball to do something through the air. I said before that a ball bowled at 145 kilometres… whether it’s in Jo’burg or Nagpur, is still 145 kilometres in the air.”