Boom leads SA’s bust

Kolkata: Jasprit Bumrah turned a rare four-spinner gamble into his personal stage, producing a mesmerising exhibition of seam, swing and control as India skittled out South Africa for 159 on the opening day of the first Test, here Friday.

On a surface that drew pre-match scrutiny for its dry look, prompting India to field four spinners for the first time since 2012, it was India’s pace star who made the ball talk the loudest, returning a superb 14-2-27-5, his 16 five-wicket hauls in 96 innings.

Bumrah produced a masterclass across little over two sessions, as South Africa crashed from a commanding 57 for no loss in 10 overs to lose all 10 wickets for just 102 runs in next 45 overs, with their innings lasting just four hours and 13 minutes after opting to bat.

It’s South Africa’s second-lowest total after a fifty-plus opening stand in men’s Tests since their readmission. The lowest is 130 in their second innings in the 2018 Cape Town Test, also against India after a 52-run opening stand.

India ended the day at 37/1 in 20 overs, with a resolute KL Rahul (13 batting from 59 balls) and Washington Sundar (six batting; 38 balls) steady at the crease after Yashasvi Jaiswal (12) dragged Marco Jansen onto his stumps while playing close to his body.

The duo looked in no hurry on a pitch offering spice and variable bounce as they cut the deficit to 122 runs in front of a sizeable Eden crowd of 36,000-plus. As light faded, South Africa crowded the bat with close-in fielders, hoping for a late breakthrough and used five bowlers. But Rahul and Sundar stayed calm and assured, seeing out the final overs without further damage.

South Africa, missing their lead pacer Kagiso Rabada due to a rib injury, had looked primed for a big score after Aiden Markram (31 from 48 ballsand Ryan Rickelton’s (23 off 22) brisk opening stand.

Markram, after 23 dot balls, opened up with a straight drive and a flowing cover drive, later twice punishing Axar Patel and unfurling a deft late cut past backward point.

He also launched Axar for a wristy six over midwicket as the run-rate surged above five an over. At the other end, Rickelton’s hit-and-miss 22 off 23 added to India’s frustration.

But just before the drinks break in the opening session, Bumrah from the Clubhouse end turned the morning on its head with two wickets in five balls across successive overs in his first spell that read 7-4-9-2.

A 140 kmph length ball straightened late to uproot Rickelton’s off stump, and minutes later a short-of-length delivery leapt spitefully to take Markram’s glove -- the contrast in bounce summing up the pitch’s variable nature.

He returned after lunch to trap Tony de Zorzi (24) in front with one that skidded through, before closing out the second session with reverse swing that split open the tail.Simon Harmer’s stumps were sent cartwheeling, and three balls later Keshav Maharaj was

pinned plumb in front.