Ist Test South Africa Vs India Played at New Orleans, Capetown
South Africa Ist Innings 286 All Out (AB de Villiers 65, F du Plessis 62 ,KA Mahraj 35 , B Kumar 4/87 ,R Aswin 2/21 ) and 65/2 Markram 34 , Elger 25 , Pandya 2/17) .
India 209 All out (H Pandya 93,Pujara 26 , Kumar 25 , Philander 3/33,Rabada 3/34, Steyn 2/51 and Morkel 2/57
Lot is expected off team India in this South African tour , But little has been delivered so far . But it is too early writing off India. Still there is lot to play for and India definitely has the ability.
The situation at stumps of the first test between two top teams in ICC test ranking India and South Africa at New Orleans Cape Town may not indicate an even contest. On a green top pacey wicket four prong protean pace battery seriously tested the might of Indian batting depth. Steyn, Morkel , Philander and Rabada each striking the deck hard and at pace reversed the ball lethally causing quality Indian batting to sweat . None but Hridik Pandya looked solid and along with the tail kept India in the game with counter attacking 93.
Indian response of 209 replying to South African first innings of 286 all out still keeps India in the game as South Africa also have lost their openers scoring 65 in the second innings. If India can restrict the lead below 300 and players like Kohli, Vijay and Pujara play to their own strength this test may still witness a fascinating contest. But the protean definitely have their nose in front. Even though injured Steyn may not be able to bowl again they have enough fire power to defend 250-300 runs lead. An absorbing days cricket is in sight today.
It was very eye pleasing watching four tear away fast bowlers running in and striking the deck at 145 kmh . All four were of different style and quality. I do not think world cricket has seen such fascinating display of a fast bowling quadrate after those hay days of Roberts, Holding , Garner and Marshall. The present crop of Indian batsmen Vijay , Dhawan , Kohli , Rohit, Pujara have all sorts of batting records at their disposal though mostly on home soil or in the sub continent.
It is OK they failed once. But we are sure one or two would raise their hands and play some superlative innings to make the test a great contest second time. But the task won’t be easy. Wicket has retained pace and no batsman of the world likes chin music and especially reversing deliveries at pace consistently.
Admirers of Indian cricket can question . If Pandya could bat so well and if tail enders could resist so well why could not at least one or two of the top order excepting Pujara to some extent grind and graft. India definitely misses one SM Gavaskar who had such great technique playing first bowling. If India fails making this test an even contest it may have impacts on the remaining tests of the series as well . The wickets would not be very different.
Indians rarely play quality pace bowlers on pacey wickets and they do not have great records in South Africa . People are already asking why Rahul and Rahane were not there as according to them they have better skills and temperament.
Coming back to possibilities of day three India has to strike early and keep taking wickets at regular interval. Elger and Markram were consumed by Pandya . Amla and night watchman Rabada are at the wicket . There remains still a lot in the wicket for the quality pacers . Kumar , Sami can still create opportunities if Amla and ABD can be returned to dug out early.
South Africa already developed 142 runs lead and another 150 would take them beyond the reach at least on this wicket. This makes the two hours sessions before lunch today extremely important. By lunch the picture would be very clear which way the test would be heading. India would need a Gavaskar and Wall Of India Rahul Dravid to salvage them from the test.
Whatever happens New Orleans has already seen very high quality cricket- great fast bowling, excellent counter attacking batting by ABD and Pandya and some spectacular catches . This is test cricket at its brilliant best.
BDST: 1243 HRS, JAN 07, 2018
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