After losing the first Test by an innings and 32 runs inside three days in Centurion, team India on Wednesday made a scintillating comeback in the second India versus South Africa Test.
Riding on speedster Mohammed Siraj's 6-wicket haul, the men in blue bundled the South African team for 55 runs in 23.2 overs at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.
This is Proteas' lowest Test total against team India and also their lowest Test total since 1932.
Siraj bowled perfectly lined and lengths, making the most of the movement that the wicket had to offer. The quick bowler picked up a career-best 6-15 after bowling nine consecutive explosive overs. Mukesh Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah both took two wickets.
Siraj-Bumrah Breathed Fire
Dean Elgar, playing his final Test match, won the toss and elected to bat first under bright skies. But it all went downhill quickly for South Africa from there onwards. Siraj’s devastating spell began when Aiden Markram nicked a good length delivery to diving third slip.
Siraj and Bumrah attacked Elgar with deliveries on stumps and placing short leg as well as leg-slip. That plan worked well when Elgar chopped on to his stumps off a wide outside off-stump delivery from Siraj.
With attacking lengths on stumps and keeping close-in catchers, Siraj and Bumrah found more success. Debutant Tristan Stubbs inside-edged to short leg off Bumrah, while Tony de Zorzi glanced to wicketkeeper KL Rahul moving to his right off Siraj, as South Africa slumped to 29/4 in the first hour of the session.
Siraj then found extra bounce around off-stump to have David Bedingham nicking to the slip cordon for 12. He finally got his fifer when Marco Jansen nicked behind to Rahul for a three-ball duck. In his next over, Siraj got his sixth wicket when Kyle Verreynne gave an outside edge on the drive to second slip.
Mukesh Put the Last Nail in the Coffin
Mukesh, coming in for Shardul Thakur, joined the wicket-taker’s party by using extra bounce to have Keshav Maharaj give a simple catch to mid-wicket. After Nandre Burger nicked to third slip off Bumrah, Mukesh ended the innings by having Kagiso Rabada edge to fourth slip, leaving India jubilant and South Africa stunned.
With IANS inputs.
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