If as many as 23 wickets fall on Day I of a Test, questions are invariably raised on the nature of the pitch. If the International Cricket Council rates the Newlands surface in Cape Town as below average, it shouldn’t be too surprising.
That said, one just cannot take anything away from the Indian pace attack led by Mohammed Siraj (6/15), as they made optimum use of the Newlands pitch to give Team India the edge at the end of the opening day of the second and final Test against South Africa. So effective were they that Ravindra Jadeja, fit and returning in place of Ravichandran Ashwin, didn’t even have to bowl.
Agreed, some in the current South African batting line-up are short on Test experience and badly challenged in terms of technique, while some of the deliveries have certainly reared up at an uncomfortable height in this greenish Newlands surface.
That was one big factor behind India’s ignominy of losing their last six wickets for zero and inability to take even a 100-run lead — in spite of bundling South Africa out for 55 in the first innings — after Lungi Ngidi extracted that awkward bounce for his three-wicket maiden in Wednesday’s final session.
Siraj found swing and movement as well, as it was a combination of everything that helped him register his best figures so far in Test cricket.
His delivery to get rid of opener Aiden Markram in South Africa’s first innings is one example as it shaped away at the last moment to take the edge off the latter’s bat. David Bedingham, Siraj’s fourth victim in the Test, was clueless faced with the steep bounce before the 29-year-old pacer took his fifth with another that cut away to induce an edge off Marco Jansen’s bat.
Being the most consistent among India’s pacers over the last few months, Siraj brought all the components into play that a fast bowler requires to have the opposition batting line-up reeling.
So far in South Africa’s second innings, Siraj is yet to strike having bowled five overs and giving away 11 runs. Coming back to bowl late in Day II or even later would have been ideal for him, but that wasn’t possible, thanks to his batting colleagues.
However, some credit needs to go to Siraj’s fellow pacer Mukesh Kumar too. For, his double strike late in the final session reduced the Proteas to 62/3 at stumps in their second innings and still trailing by 36.
Striking twice in the first innings, the Bengal quick (replacing Shardul Thakur for his second Test appearance) gave India a much-needed breakthrough when he dismissed South Africa’s stand-in captain Dean Elgar, who finished with scores of 4 and 12 in his farewell Test. Having created doubts in Elgar’s mind with his round-the-wicket bowling, Mukesh continued with that ploy and accounted for Tony de Zorzi with a wobbly seam.
No doubt, Siraj, Mukesh and of course spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will be crucial to India’s prospects of squaring the series, though they need Prasidh Krishna to contribute as well.
