Ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah turned a rare four-spinner gamble into his personal stage, delivering a mesmerising exhibition of seam, swing and control as India bowled out South Africa for a paltry 159 on the first day of the opening Test, Friday.
On a surface scrutinised for its dryness, prompting India to field four spinners for the first time since 2012, it was India’s pace star who dominated, returning impressive figures of 14-2-27-5, his 16th five-wicket haul in 96 innings.
Bumrah became the first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul on the opening day of a Test in India since Dale Steyn achieved the feat in Ahmedabad in 2008. It was also Bumrah’s 18th five-wicket haul across formats for India, as he surpassed Ravindra Jadeja to occupy fourth place on the list.
Bumrah showcased his mastery in just over two sessions as South Africa collapsed from a strong 57 for no loss in 10 overs to losing all 10 wickets for just 102 runs in the next 45 overs, with their innings lasting only four hours and 13 minutes after choosing to bat.
This was 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.
