India Down 6 wickets no runs

2024.01.03

South Africa first folded for 55, before India faced a collapse of their own, losing their last six wickets without adding a run.

On a wild first day in Cape Town, as many as 23 wickets fell, including an unprecedented collapse of 6 for 0. It was the first time a side had lost six wickets for 0 runs in 2522 Tests. In the afternoon session, India set an unwelcome record when they responded to South Africa’s 55 all out by going from 153 for 4 to 153 all out in 11 balls.

On a ground at Newlands that offered significant seam movement and fluctuating bounce throughout day, India maintained their lead despite the collapse. The batsmen found it really tough to bat, especially when the bowlers forced them to attempt a shot, since even the old(ish) ball misbehaved off the pitch. In Test cricket this century, a day’s worth of wickets has only fallen once.

It was that kind of a day in Cape Town.

Dean Elgar was dismissed twice on the first day, in his last Test match. After opting to bat, he was bowled by Mohammed Siraj off an inside edge for 4 in the first innings, where South Africa folded in 23.2 overs. Siraj’s new-ball spell of 9-3-15-6 skittled South Africa for 55 – the lowest total against India in Test cricket – in a session. India then needed less than ten overs to take the lead, with Rohit Sharma motoring along at better than a run-a-ball during those early exchanges. However, the late collapse, triggered by Lungi Ngidi’s triple-strike, brought South Africa back into the game.

Aiden Markram, who was the first batter to be dismissed on the day, then somehow survived 51 balls in South Africa’s second innings to bring his team even closer to parity. India, though, still have a substantial lead of 36, which appears even bigger on this surface.

Match Summery

South Africa 62 for 3 (Markram 36*, Mukesh 2-25) and 55 (Verreynne 15, Siraj 6-15, Mukesh 2-0) trail India 153 (Kohli 46, Rohit 39, Ngidi 3-30) by 36 runs

@ J Robinson