India suffer an innings and 32-run loss to South Africa in 1st TEST
Centurion, Dec 28: Led by super performances from bowlers and a majestic 185 from Dean Elgar, a dominant South Africa thrashed a listless India by an innings and 32 runs inside three days in the first Test at SuperSport Park on Thursday.
After having conceded a lead of 163 runs, as Elgar, along with fifties from Marco Jansen and David Bedingham, took South Africa to 408, India’s batting in the second innings was very much like a horror movie.
Their second innings ran till 34.1 overs, eight batters fell for single-digit scores as South Africa’s bowlers, led by Nandre Burger’s four-fer to take his debut match tally to seven scalps, made merry in their home conditions.
Talismanic batter Virat Kohli tried to avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat, scoring a fighting 76 off 82 balls. But with his team-mates falling without giving a fight, his knock wasn’t just enough to delay the inevitable as India were bowled out for 131, and are now 1-0 behind in the two-game series.
Post lunch, India resumed from 62/3 and Marco Jansen struck immediately as an uncomfortable looking Shreyas Iyer played all around a straighter delivery and inside-edged to his stumps. Kohli was determined to grind it out and picked a short and wide ball from Gerald Coetzee by punching above cover point for six.
Kohli continued to be exquisite, clipping Coetzee twice through leg-side for boundaries.
But he was losing partners from the other end as KL Rahul went for a big drive off Nandre Burget and nicked to second slip. One brought two immediately as Ravichandran Ashwin punched away from the body and was caught at gully for a golden duck.
Despite being nine down, Kohli went for the attack by slashing and lofting Burger for back-to-back fours. But Jansen took him out for 76 to seal the game. (IANS)
India: 245 and 131 in 34.1 overs (Virat Kohli 76; Nandre Burger 14-33) South Africa: 408 in 108.4 overs (Dean Elgar 185, Marco Jansen 84 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 4-69, Mohammed Siraj 2-91).
