Centurion — Well, Dean Elgar did say India’s bowling unit was their primary weapon for this series.
At 32/4 midway through an extended second session on Tuesday, he probably hated being proved right.
The Indians did not need a session or a change of ends to find success. They came, they bowled and they conquered.
South Africa’s batting hasn’t been good for a while. The fact that the Proteas have passed a total of 400 just four times in the last four years speaks to that. All those batting collapses in recent years have been pored over ad nauseam.
So against a good attack, on a pitch providing plenty of assistance, with scoreboard pressure and once again, the fact they haven’t played Test cricket for six months, it was always going to be a tough assignment.
Elgar was already removing his gear by the time the first over had ended, flummoxed by Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance. That immediately rested away the home team's momentum after Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada had caused India to lose 7/55 in the first 90 minutes of play, helping South Africa achieve one goal of restricting India to less than 340 in their first innings.
Post lunch there was a marvellous spell from Mohammed Shami, the kind of thing this South African batting line-up would have dreaded. It would have been one thing had they been playing Test cricket regularly in the recent months, but to come up against someone who had such magnificent control of line and length, given the lack of play Test outings, was almost unfair.
Having deceived Keegan Petersen with a delivery slanting into the right hander, he then sized up Aiden Markram and over 20 minutes picked him apart. Shami was relentless in targeting Markram’s off stump, at one point he found the outside edge, but Rishabh Pant grassed the chance.
Nevermind, Shami just kept hammering away at that awkward length and produced a gem that clipped the top of Markram’s off stump. There was no shame in getting dismissed by such a delivery, in the midst of a spell in which Shami bowled one bad ball. That’s not something that any match simulation can prepare you for.
India’s seamers were superb. Even with Bumrah off the field to get treatment for a sprained ankle, Mohammed Siraj, the young firecracker kept the pressure on the South Africans.
Perhaps Rassie van der Dussen relaxed a bit too much when Bumrah, who gave him a proper working over, left the field. He pushed at a ball from Siraj and sent it flying low to Ajinkya Rahane in the gully. At 32/4 - which could have been 32/5 had KL Rahul hung onto a difficult chance at third slip, offered by Quinton de Kock off the first ball he faced - the follow-on became a concern.
It was avoided largely thanks to a 72-run fifth wicket partnership between a resolute Temba Bavuma and a mostly watchful De Kock. They took advantage as the pressure from India eased, with Bumrah off and Shami needing a break.
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Bavuma’s 52 included 10 boundaries as he attacked every time the Indians missed their lengths. He drove the ball down the ground with precision, but would have been disappointed when he fell to more temptation outside off-stump from Shami.
The 31 year old seamer became the 11th Indian to reach 200 Test wickets and the fifth seam bowler from that country to do so. His performance on Tuesday wasn’t exactly 2014 Mitchell Johnson style brutality. The great Australian quick claimed 12 wickets at this venue with thrilling force. Shami was more surgical precision, but it was just as much fun to watch for those who enjoy high quality fast bowling.
For the Proteas batters it wasn’t so merry. This was another difficult day, another day where the rhythm of Test cricket proved hard to live with. They will be better for the experience, but with India leading by 146 runs, they are likely to be 1-0 down too by the time this match ends and despite the challenges they have faced, that will be difficult for the players to stomach.
SCORECARD
India first innings 327 (KL Rahul 123, Mayank Agarwal 60, Lungi Ngidi 6/71, Kagiso Rabada 3/72) and 16/1 (
South Africa first innings 197 (Temba Bavuma 52, Quinton de Kock 34, Mohammed Shami 5/44, Jasprit Bumrah 2/16)
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