Bumrah's Brilliant Spell Leads India to Bowl Out South Africa for 159 in First Test

Post by : Mara Rahim

On a strong opening day of the first Test at Eden Gardens, Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional bowling put India in a commanding position against South Africa. Winning the toss, South Africa chose to bat first, which initially seemed wise as their openers amassed 57 runs without loss. Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram appeared in sync at the crease. However, Bumrah swiftly altered the match's dynamics, dismissing both openers in rapid succession and leading to a dramatic South African decline. This pivotal moment allowed India to seize control early in the match.

After that promising start, South Africa's batting crumbled spectacularly. They lost all ten wickets for just 102 additional runs, finishing their innings at 159. The middle order struggled against India's relentless attack, with Bumrah recording impressive figures of 5 for 27—marking his 16th five-wicket haul in Tests. Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav each claimed two scalps, while Axar Patel contributed with one, collectively pushing South Africa into a precarious situation by day’s end.

Initially, South Africa's openers demonstrated confidence at the crease. Rickelton played aggressively, finding the boundary off Mohammed Siraj, while Markram, despite a slow beginning, showcased his prowess with clean strokes—including a six off Axar Patel. This partnership marked South Africa’s first 50-run opening stand in India over 17 innings, igniting hopes for a respectable total. Yet, Bumrah's ingenuity soon proved too much as he clean-bowled Rickelton and forced Markram to edge behind, snuffing out their early momentum.

As wickets tumbled, South Africa's middle order found themselves under relentless pressure. Temba Bavuma fell victim to a well-crafted Kuldeep delivery, caught for just three runs. Mulder and de Zorzi attempted to steady their innings, but India's disciplined bowlers swiftly dismissed them, keeping the South African lineup on edge.

Resuming after lunch, Bumrah and Kuldeep maintained accuracy, with Mulder falling to Kuldeep’s clever bowling. Following a failed review, Bumrah then struck once more, trapping Tony de Zorzi as the pressure mounted on South Africa, who found themselves in dire straits.

In efforts to stabilize their innings, Stubbs and Verreynne faced further challenges from Siraj’s reverse swing. Verreynne fell lbw, followed by Jansen in the same over, leaving South Africa in dire trouble. Axar Patel added to their woes by dismissing Corbin Bosch before tea, with South Africa sinking towards a meager total.

After tea, South Africa could only manage five more runs before Bumrah mopped up the tail, bowling out Simon Harmer and trapping Keshav Maharaj lbw. His outstanding performance drew raucous cheers from the Kolkata crowd. Ultimately, South Africa was bowled out for 159, marking their second-lowest first-innings score against India.

At the close of Day 1, India stood in a position of strength, bolstered by a brilliant collective bowling display. Bumrah's remarkable five-wicket haul, complemented by contributions from Siraj, Kuldeep, and Axar, completely undermined the advantages gained at the toss. As India prepares for their batting innings on Day 2, they aim to build a substantial lead.