KOLKATA, India — India seized control of the opening Test against South Africa on Friday after Jasprit Bumrah delivered a superb five-wicket haul that skittled the visitors for 159 on a tricky Eden Gardens surface. India reached 37 for 1 at stumps, trailing by 122 runs when bad light ended play early.
Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for 12, leaving KL Rahul (13 not out) and Washington Sundar (six not out) to guide India safely to the close in an unbroken 19-run stand. Both batters were cautious on a pitch showing inconsistent bounce and rewarding disciplined bowling.
The day belonged to Bumrah, who finished with 5 for 27 in 14 overs. His incisive spell dismantled South Africa after they had raced to 57 without loss. Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav added two wickets each, while Axar Patel claimed one.
Earlier, South Africa elected to bat and made a promising start. Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram negotiated the early overs and brought up a rare 50-run opening stand for the Proteas in India. Rickelton punished loose deliveries from Siraj, while Markram grew increasingly confident, even lofting Axar for six over wide long-on.
But Bumrah changed everything. He beat Rickelton with a length ball that clipped off stump, then produced a rising delivery that forced Markram into a tentative shot — Rishabh Pant completing a sharp diving catch off the shoulder of the bat.
Kuldeep added pressure by trapping Temba Bavuma via a clever leg-slip plan, before Dhruv Jurel’s sharp work behind the stumps sent the South African captain back for just three. From 57 for 0, South Africa slid to 71 for 3.
After lunch, India’s bowlers tightened their control. Wiaan Mulder fell lbw to Kuldeep attempting a reverse sweep, and Tony de Zorzi was beaten by a Bumrah inswinger that stayed low. Attempts at rebuilding by Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne were short-lived: Siraj found reverse swing, trapping Verreynne lbw and then bowling Marco Jansen for a duck in the same over.
Axar Patel trapped Corbin Bosch just before tea, deepening South Africa’s struggles.
With about 35,000 fans cheering him on, Bumrah returned after tea and struck twice in an electrifying burst — uprooting Simon Harmer’s off stump and trapping Keshav Maharaj with a searing inswinging yorker to complete his five-for. Stubbs remained unbeaten on 15 as the innings folded for 159.
India began cautiously. Jaiswal needed 15 deliveries to get off the mark before striking three boundaries, but he chopped Jansen onto his stumps for 12. Rahul started slowly, scoring just one run off his first 14 balls before finding fluency. Sundar, newly promoted to No. 3, survived early pressure and grew more composed as the session progressed.
Bad light stopped play at 4:35 p.m., with India firmly in control after Bumrah’s brilliance lit up the opening day.
Brief scores:
South Africa 159 all out in 55 overs (Aiden Markram 31, Ryan Rickelton 23; Jasprit Bumrah 5-27, Kuldeep Yadav 2-36)
India 37/1 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 13 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 12; Marco Jansen 1-11) trail by 122 runs (Source: IANS)
