India come back from a new ball onslaught, to put the first session in their pocket, claiming three crucial wickets to leave South Africa at 105 for 3 at Lunch on Day 1 of the first Test at the Eden Gardens.
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After winning the toss and opting to bat first on a dry, typical Indian wicket, the visitors started brightly, but a magnificent spell from Jasprit Bumrah and a clever trap set by captain Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav quickly shifted momentum in India's favor.
The match began with the South African openers, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, capitalizing quickly. Despite Markram starting watchfully, Rickelton looked fluent, utilizing the fast outfield and scoring at nearly six runs per over, bringing up a 50-run opening stand.
The fast outfield and uneven bounce suggested the pitch would change as the game progressed. India's early bowling was shared, with Mohammed Siraj leaking a few runs from his short spells and Axar Patel looking unsettled, while the focus remained on Bumrah.
The breakthrough came from Jasprit Bumrah, who delivered a superb new-ball spell, breaking the threatening partnership by bowling Rickelton with a delivery that just shaped away to take the off-stump. In his very next over, Bumrah produced a tricky ball from the dry uneven pitch; a short-of-a-length delivery that reared sharply, forcing Markram to glove it through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. South Africa slid from 57 for none to 62 for 2 in quick succession.
The pressure intensified when the spinners were introduced, with Kuldeep Yadav claiming the major scalp of South African captain Temba Bavuma for just 3 runs. Kuldeep's fullish ball on leg stump; anticipated with Bavuma's stance and movement, turned in, inducing an inside edge that was caught by Dhruv Jurel, stationed at a clever leg-slip position set by Gill.
Since Bavuma's dismissal, Tony de Zorzi and Wiaan Mulder, both on their first Test tour of India, successfully navigated the final period before lunch, adding a crucial 34 runs off 66 balls. The Indian attack utilized all four spin options, including the introduction of Washington Sundar in the final over. The post-lunch session will be crucial for the two South African batsmen to consolidate the innings.