Jasprit Bumrah transformed India’s rare four-spinner gamble into a personal showcase, delivering a spellbinding display of seam, swing and precision to bundle out South Africa for 159 on the opening day of the first Test on Friday.
Despite pre-match scrutiny over the dry Eden Gardens surface, prompting India to field four spinners for the first time since 2012, it was the lone pacer who commanded the stage. Bumrah finished with a superb 14-2-27-5, claiming his 16th five-wicket haul in 96 innings. His incisive spells dismantled South Africa, who collapsed from 57 without loss in 10 overs to lose all 10 wickets for 102 in the next 45 overs. Their innings lasted just four hours and 13 minutes after opting to bat, marking their second-lowest total after a fifty-plus opening stand since readmission.
India ended the day at 37 for one in 20 overs, with KL Rahul (13 off 59) and Washington Sundar (six off 38) holding firm after Yashasvi Jaiswal (12) dragged Marco Jansen onto his stumps. The pair batted with patience on a pitch offering variable bounce, trimming the deficit to 122 in front of a 36,000-strong Eden crowd. South Africa, using five bowlers and crowding the bat late in the final session, failed to break through again.
Also read: India look to tame South Africa's crafty spin attack
South Africa, without lead pacer Kagiso Rabada due to a rib injury, had looked set for a strong start after Aiden Markram (31) and Ryan Rickelton (23) opened briskly. Markram endured 23 dot balls before unfurling flowing drives and a wristy six off Axar Patel, while Rickelton’s busy knock added to India’s early frustration.
But Bumrah shifted momentum in a decisive burst from the Clubhouse end, removing Rickelton with a late-straightening length ball and getting Markram with a sharp lifter. After lunch, he trapped Tony de Zorzi (24) and later returned with reverse swing to dismantle the tail, bowling Simon Harmer and pinning Keshav Maharaj lbw.
Mohammed Siraj (2/47) tightened the noose with a double strike, while Kuldeep Yadav (2/29) accounted for skipper Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder. Axar Patel (1/21) removed Corbin Bosch as India maintained relentless pressure throughout.
Scoreboard
South Africa (1st Innings): Aiden Markram c Pant b Jasprit Bumrah 31, Ryan Rickelton b Jasprit Bumrah 23, Wiaan Mulder lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 24, Temba Bavuma c Dhruv Jurel b Kuldeep Yadav 3, Tony de Zorzi lbw b Jasprit Bumrah 24, Tristan Stubbs not out 15, Kyle Verreynne lbw b Mohammed Siraj 16, Marco Jansen b Mohammed Siraj 0, Corbin Bosch lbw b Axar Patel 3, Simon Harmer b Bumrah 5, Keshav Maharaj lbw Bumrah 0.
Extras (b 8, lb 4, w 2, nb 1) 15
Total (In 55 Overs) 159
Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-62, 3-71, 4-114, 5-120, 6-146, 7-147, 8-154, 9-159
Bowling: Bumrah 14-5-27-5, Siraj 12-0-47-2, Axar Patel 6-2-21-1, Kuldeep Yadav 14-1-36-2, Ravindra Jadeja 8-2-13-0, Washington Sundar 1-0-3-0.
India (1st Innings): Yashasvi Jaiswal b Marco Jansen 12, KL Rahul not out 13, Washington Sundar not out 6
Extras: (LB-2, NB-4) 6
Total: (For 1 wkt, 20 Overs) 37
Fall of Wickets: 18-1 Bowler: Marco Jansen 6-2-11-1, Wiaan Mulder 5-1-15-0, Keshav Maharaj 5-1-8-0, Corbin Bosch 3-2-1-0, Simon Harmer 1-1-0-0.
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