South Africa had a good start on the first day of the Boxing Day Test against India vs South Africa. They won the toss and chose to field first. India didn’t have a great start, losing their top three players in the first 11 overs.
Some catches were dropped, giving Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli a chance to settle in. The partnership between Kohli and Iyer reached 67 runs off 89 balls by lunchtime, and the score was 91/3. Despite predictions of on-and-off rain, the sun is currently shining at SuperSport Park.
India vs South Africa: Day 1 Highlight
UPDATE – Day 1 of the 1st #SAvIND Test has been called off due to rain 🌧️#TeamIndia 208/8 after 59 overs.
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 26, 2023
See you tomorrow for Day 2 action.
Scorecard – https://t.co/Zyd5kIcYso pic.twitter.com/tmvVtiwRfJ
The Indian top order faced difficulties against the fast pace of South African seamer Nandre Burger, leading to the dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli had a tough time stabilizing the Indian innings against the rapid pace.
India faced a setback when pacer Kagiso Rabada took an early wicket by dismissing Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. South Africa knew this was a crucial wicket. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill were on the crease, trying to build a partnership.
In the cricket match at Centurion, India’s Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer teamed up for a partnership of over 50 runs. This helped India recover after losing some early wickets. Initially, South African pacers had success, but they struggled to adapt as conditions changed.
India vs South Africa: Scorecard
KL Rahul Stunning Knock
KL Rahul showed great determination and skill, guiding the team with the lower-order batsmen to reach a score of 208/8 before rain interrupted play on Day 1. His brave fifty helped India go beyond 200, which was quite impressive considering the earlier difficulties in reaching 150. Sadly, the rain and poor light abruptly stopped India’s progress, leading to early stumps on Day 1 due to continuous heavy rain.
South Africa Bowling Attack On Day 1 Of First Test
After Lunch, Rabada took wickets quickly, getting Iyer and Kohli out in succession. He then dismissed Ashwin to complete a four-wicket haul. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee had a hard time maintaining the same quality, and India benefited from Rahul and Shardul Thakur scoring runs against them while Rabada took a break.
However, Rabada returned and quickly got Thakur out in his first over. Rahul continued to score with Bumrah, and by Tea on Day 1, India was at 176/7 in 50 overs, with Rahul batting at 39 off 71.
Rahul reached his half-century in the third session, hitting a four and a six in the 52nd over. The toss was delayed by 45 minutes earlier in the day due to wet patches on the field.
How Difficult Is To Win Test Series Against South Africa In South Africa?
Winning in South Africa is not easy, and for India, it’s even tougher. Indian batsmen struggle here, and their spinners don’t usually do well in these conditions. As a team, India has never won a Test series in South Africa.
Since 1996, they’ve played 23 Tests there, winning only 4 and never winning more than once in a series. Despite this, they are the third-most successful team in South Africa, after Australia and England. Playing against South Africa in their own turf is challenging.
However, in the last 10 years, India has consistently given South Africa a tough competition when touring there. The last time India visited, many thought they were the stronger team, and they performed well. But South Africa’s strong comeback in the fourth innings prevented India from winning the series.
Also Read: KOHLI, ROHIT BACK FOR TEST SERIES WHAT WILL BE TEAM INDIA LINEUP AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
