Indian bowlers stamp their authority right from the word go on Day 2 of the ongoing third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town.
The carnage started after India’s frontline bowler Jasprit Bumrah gave the first breakthrough by removing Aiden Markram. Notably, Bumrah had also drawn the first blood when he had dismissed Proteas captain, Dean Elgar, in the last hour of the opening day.
Another seamer Umesh Yadav then joined the party and dismissed nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj, who was somehow started to frustrate the visitors. Umesh, who was picked as a replacement for Mohammad Siraj, proved his selection right by breaking the 28-runs partnership for the third wicket between Maharaj and Keegan Petersen.
It all happened during the 21st over of South Africa’s first innings when Umesh came up with a scrambled seam delivery that nipped back in sharply. Maharaj failed to read the delivery as he went for the drive, leaving a big gap between bat and pad and the red cherry sneak through the gates to send the middle-stump for a walk.
Here is the video:
https://twitter.com/rmax_ft/status/1481196027747397633
Earlier, on the second day, Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara had expressed that the track at Newlands is quite challenging as a batter is never set. He also mentioned that India were 30-40 runs short as 275 was a good total on this pitch.
“It is a true pitch. There is enough in it for the bowlers, but if you apply yourself, if you are set, then you get value for your shots. I thought it is a very good cricketing pitch. You are never set and need to know which shot to play and which shot to avoid, when you are in, you have to make it count, which I couldn’t do, but like Virat did,” said Pujara ahead of the start of the second day’s play.
“You might feel there’s not enough when a partnership is building, but there’s one ball which can do a bit and can surprise you as a batter even when you are set. We definitely should have scored 30-40 runs, but we are confident in our bowling line-up. If we bowl in the right areas, then we can restrict them. I think 275 is a good total on this pitch,” he added.
