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India vs South Africa Live Score, 1st Test, Day 1: KL Rahul showcased brilliant resilience, steering the innings with the tail to propel India to 208/8 before rain curtailed play on Day. His courageous half-century lifted the score past 200, a commendable feat when reaching 150 seemed challenging. Unfortunately, India’s …Read More progress was abruptly halted by rain and bad light, eventually dashing hopes of a resumed play and forced early stumps pn Day 1 amid relentless downpour.
South Africa got off to a good start on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test against India. They had won the toss and put India to bat first. India ended up losing their top three inside the first 11 overs. Catches have since been dropped off both Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli. The pair settled into their innings and saw India through to Lunch. The score was 91/3 at the end of the first session and the partnership between Kohli and Iyer stood at 67 off 89 balls. It was expected to be an on and off day with rain predicted but the sun is beating down now at SuperSport Park.
Rabada shook up the Indian batting order early after Lunch, dismissing Iyer and then Kohli in quick succession. He then dismissed Ashwin to get to his four-wicket haul. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee have struggled to keep up the same quality and so India benefitted from Rahul and Shardul Thakur milking runs from the pair while Rabada was given a breather. However, Rabada returned and dismissed Thakur in his very first over. Rahul then rotated strike with Bumrah and saw India through to Tea. India were 176/7 in 50 overs at Tea on day 1 with Rahul on 39 off 71. Rahul got to his half century in style early in the third session, hitting a four and a six off the last two balls of the 52nd over. The toss was delayed by 45 minutes earlier in the day due to wet patches in the field.
It’s tough to win in South Africa. For India, it gets tougher. Their batters have one of the worst records here, their spinners rarely have any sort of impact in these conditions. As a team, they have never won a Test series in South Africa. Since 1996, India have played 23 Tests in South Africa and won only 4 and never more than once in a series. Despite this, they are the third-most successful team in South Africa behind Australia and England. That’s how tough it is to play South Africa in South Africa. But having said that, India have given South Africa a run for their money pretty much every time they have toured here in the last 10 years or so. In fact, the last time India went there, many believed they were the stronger of the two teams. And they did pretty well too but resurgent performances by South Africa in the fourth innings, denied India twice in the series.
What about this time? Rohit Sharma will be leading for the first time. India don’t have either Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara – both dropped. Mohammed Shami is out with an injury and so is Rishabh Pant, who was a prolific run-scorer during India’s last tour. But they do have Virat Kohli, who averages more than 50 here. They do have three exciting young batters – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who will be playing their first Test in South Africa. Jasprit Bumrah is as lethal as he ever was. Mohammed Siraj has his tail up. And South Africa? Well, they are still not the same as they once used to be. Captain Temba Bavuma is always under pressure, Dean Elgar will be playing in his farewell series, there are concerns over the fitness of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Does that mean India once again have a golden opportunity to conquer their toughest summit? Yes, in a way. At least the Indian fans would like to believe it that way.
Below are a few pointers from the IND vs SA 1st Test Day 1:
– South Africa got off to a good start with three wickets in the first 11 overs.
– However, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer then saw India through to Lunch.
– India were 91/3 in 26 overs at Lunch with Iyer and Kohli putting on 67 off 93 balls.
– Kagiso Rabada then rattled the Indian lineup by taking a fifer in the second session.
– India were 176/7 in 50 overs at Tea.
– Rahul got to his half-century early in the 3rd session.
– India reached 208/8 before rain forced early stumps.
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