The stage was set for an intense match as South Africa began their domination in the first game of the two-match Test series against India. Despite playing away from home, the Proteas found their rhythm through the leadership of their stand-in skipper Dean Elgar, who impressively notched up 185 runs. This significant innings helped thrust South Africa into a commanding position, overtaking India’s first innings score of 245 by a substantial margin.
The match, already underway, has seen the visiting team struggle with stabilizing their innings as they reeled from early blows in the second innings, adding to their challenges. Both Indian openers were swiftly removed, but the moment that caught everyone’s attention was the dismissal of Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain departed without adding a single run to the scoreboard, falling prey to Kagiso Rabada’s searing delivery.
The Indian skipper faced a concise spell at the crease which lasted merely eight balls before being bowled over by a scintillating delivery from Rabada. This unfortunate turnout marked the first time since December 2015 that Sharma has been dismissed for a duck in a Test match, the previous occasion also coming against South Africa in Delhi. This duck, distressing for the Indian captain, takes his tally up to five in Test cricket and levels him with Virender Sehwag with 31 ducks in international cricket, ranking them joint-eighth for the most ducks at this level.
In stark contrast to Sharma’s misfortunes, Kagiso Rabada made his own mark in the history books. The South African paceman achieved the unique distinction of becoming the first bowler to dismiss Rohit Sharma for a duck in all three formats of the game. Rabada, a thorn in the Indian batting lineup, has now claimed the wicket of the Indian skipper seven times in the longest format and a remarkable 14 times across all forms of international cricket.
Rabada’s prowess was not limited to this landmark achievement; he had earlier orchestrated a collapse of the Indian batting order with a potent five-wicket haul in the first innings. As the Test progressed into India’s second innings, Rabada once again showcased his brilliance by claiming an early wicket to put India on the backfoot.
The visitors, having conceded a lead of 163 runs in the first innings, are on the ropes and must muster an exceptional batting performance if they harbor any hope of a comeback in this fixture. The task appears uphill, but the unpredictable nature of cricket means that the game is far from over. India will be pinning their hopes on Virat Kohli, who is currently at the crease and looking in fine form. Should he manage to anchor the innings and set a challenging target, the game could take an exciting turn.
Cricket aficionados will know that the sport has a way of throwing curveballs when least expected, and India will be longing for a resurgence. As the game unfolds, both teams will continue to battle it out, knowing that every session could swing the momentum in this high-stakes Test series.
In the backdrop of this riveting cricket encounter, other headlines grace the world of cricket – from David Warner’s absence from the ODI and T20I series against the West Indies to play in the ILT20, to Ben Stokes commenting on an old England cricketer’s harsh words about losing 5-0 in India. Additionally, the journey of KL Rahul from one memorable Boxing Day Test to another has caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide. As the latest cricket news unfolds, all eyes remain fixed on the current Test, where the balance of the game hangs on a knife-edge.
