South Africa vs India 1st test match summary

What a match. India and South Africa have shown why they are so close to each other. Even if India lost this game, it has been a way better test match than what people have seen in the Ashes.

South Africa batted first as India took no time at all to start the proceedings with 3 quick wickets by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He really showed a huge promise to what could happen in this game, and then De Villiers and Faf du Plessis got going and brought the match back in the balance. They got a very important 100+ run partnership which was the key in the first innings and then India looking to bounce back with Bumrah picking up De Villiers and then De Cock, which was the batsman i was fearring the most because he usually scores runs against India, got going pretty quickly and meanwhile Faf got out, Vernon Philander held on and helped De Cock get near his 50, but he was denied by Bhuvi once again. As soon as India were looking to clean up the tail, our dear friend Shikhar Dhawan dropped Maharaj, which was proven to be very costly, as he made 35 off 47 balls. Maharaj was supported at the other end by Rabada, who also added 26 runs and that made sure South Africa got through to a challenging total (286) under these conditions.

Indias turn to bat and our dear friend Dhawan got out very quickly, as he was looking to score quickly, but Steyn had other ideas. Vijay departed before Dhawan which meant India were under pressure straight away, as the captain came in. Kohli had a few balls before he got out to a bouncer by Morne Morkel, and then the lovely slow innings began. I should mention that day 1 was a pitch that was swinging a lot. It was a bowlers day and day 2 was a bit more quiet. It was still swinging, but there was less help for the bowlers as the ball was doing less off the surface. Back to the Pujara and Rohit partnership. Rohit did not look like himself. He was way too much defensive in his game, and to be honest it is not his natural game. Yes test cricket is about staying at the crease, but at least try and play a bit more natural. You can't just stay defensive because then the pressure will just grow on you. You have to be positive in every situation. Always try and get something out of it. After the wicket of Kohli, the runs flow and the wickets were dried up in 1 session. India were just leaving balls and South Africa kept on bowling brilliantly. You can't take any credit away from them. They bowled superbly and it was so intense to see South Africa pressuring Indias batting lineup. No one has seen that in quite a while now, but India have been tested in this match. 8 overs before the lunch session in day 2, Rohits defence was beaten by Rabada. Rohit took a review, but it was stuck down as India went to lunch at 76/4 with all hopes on Pujara to get India past the South African first innings. In the afternoon session it all went the wrong way. Pujara got out first ball as India were loosing wickets in a hurry. Saha and Ashwin went afterwards. Then Hardik Pandya provided a turnaround for India. It was a great innings to watch, but a surprise aswell, because it was looking really easy to bat when Hardik was playing. He was of course supported by Bhuvi, and together they pulled of a 99 run partnership, that got the game back near the 50/50 mark. It was still at South Africas favour because of they still had the lead. The tail did not really do much as Indias first innings came to an end with 209 all out, trailed with 77 runs.

South Africa started the proceedings quite well in the second innings as India were nearing close of play in day 2. India were brought under pressure straight away by South Africas positive batting, as the openers had a good 52 runs partnership between them, and then the man who was on top of his game, Hardik Pandya picked up the openers quickly as South Africa ended day 2 at 65/2 with Amla and the nightwatchman Rabada at the crease. Day 3 had a washout, which brought life back to the pitch, as the bowl was dominating the proceedings yet again. India were on top of the game as they managed to pick up 8 wickets in 1 session. Mohammad Shami was on point with the ball, as well as the rest of the pacers were. India were challenging the South Africans and they managed to get South Africa all out at 130, which setted up a target of 208 runs to win, as the teams went to lunch in day 4.

This was where every Indian thought that this game was in there hands, exept me. I knew that South Africa had a chance because their bowling lineup, even without Steyn is strong enough to take the Indian batting lineup down. Straight away South Africa were dominating the proceedings as Vijay had to take 2 reviews to survive for a bit, as India were looking decent at the start, but then our dear friend Dhawan was playing a poor shot and then South Africa got the game back in their hands. Vijay got out and then India lost Pujara to a absolute beauty. It was an amazing delivery as India lost 1 of their key batsmen in the game there, and one of the best test batsmen in the world had to get out like that. There is absolutly nothing you could do about that. Virat comming in as India were looking to build a partnership up again, but then the ball began reversing as Kohli was trapped in front by Philander, who went on to pick up Rohit Sharma afterwards, as he played a loose shot that took an edge down to his stumps. The last ball before tea Saha got trapped LBW as that was that for the game. There was no one else who could bat long enough to survive this brilliant South African bowling lineup. After tea Ashwin and Bhuvi got a partnership going, but it was a little too late for them really. There pressure was all on them in the end, but Philander wanted more wickets, as Ashwin got out and then tail crumbled as South Africa won by 32 runs.

India should take positive out of this game and move on. It was a very good test match to see, eventhough India lost, all credit should go to the players who played in this match. South Africa showed their dominance at home and India showed their weakness away from home. The Indian bowling has really improved immensely, and this test series will be a great one i hope. It has given a promising start by bringing in a great game, with both sides having to fight for the dominance, which South Africa took in the end. It will be a way better series than the stupid Ashes series which England have been eaten to bits by Australia.