India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 1 highlights: India 28/3 in reply to South Africa's 286

 

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS (SCORECARD)

9.35 pm IST: It's stumps on Day 1 at Newlands in Cape Town. India finish on 28/3 in their reply to South Africa's 286. Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma are at the crease. Murali Vijay, Shikar Dhawan and captain Virat Kohli are back in the dressing room, falling to Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel respectively. Earlier in the day, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took four wickets to help India bowl South Africa out for 286. That's it from us. See you tomorrow at 2 pm IST. Let's hope India bat better tomorrow.   

9.21 pm IST: Big blow to India's chances in this Test match. Virat Kohli goes for 5 as he edges Morne Morkel through to Quinton de Kock behind the wickets. India 27/3 in their reply to South Africa's 286.

9.07 pm IST: Another wicket for the hosts. This time it's Shikhar Dhawan who tries to pull Dale Steyn but miscues it and the fast bowler takes a skier off his own bowling. Replays show the ball kicked up a little from a fuller spot, and that confused Dhawan not a little. He goes for 16. India 19/2 in six overs.   

9.03 pm IST: First wicket for South Africa. Vernon Philander has Murali Vijay caught at gulley for 1. India 16 for 1 in their reply to South Africa's 286 all out.

8.54 pm IST: South Africa review an lbw turn-down against Murali Vijay as he decides to pad up to a Vernon Philander delivery. Replays show the ball not only pitches outside the off-stump but also appears to go high. Terrible decision to review on the part of the South Africans. India 10 for 1 after 3 overs.  

8.30 pm IST: Ravichandran Ashwin wraps up South Africa's innings at 286. Morne Morkel is the last batsman to go as Ashwin has him caught behind. Sixth catch for Wriddhiman Saha. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the pick of the Indian bowlers with four wickets. Ashwin takes two, while Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya and debutant Jasprit Bumrah take one each. Good show by the Indian bowlers. However, let's not forget it's a tricky wicket and India now will have to bat really well to go past South Africa's total.  

8.14 pm IST: Ravinchadran Ashwin sends back Kagiso Rabada for 26  to take his first wicket in the match. Fifth catch for Wriddhiman Saha behind the wickets. He is definitely having a great day. South Africa 280/9 in the 70th over. 

7.41 pm IST: Keshav Maharaj is run out for 35. South Africa 258 for 8 in the 63rd over. Ravichandran Ashwin hits the stumps directly from mid-on. The 37-run stand comes to an end. India breathe a big sigh of relief.

7.25 pm IST: Kagiso Rabada launches Bhuvneshwar Kumar into the stands in the 59th over. South Africa 252/7. Maharaj 32*, Rabada 14*. The partnership has gone up to 31 now. India need to come up with something to break this threatening stand.

6.44 pm IST: It's tea at Newlands and South Africa are 230 for 7. Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada are at the crease on 23 and 1 respectively. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/68. Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya and debutant Jasprit Bumrah take one wicket each. As of now, India look to be in a good situation. 

6.31 pm IST: Mohammed Shami gets in on the act and takes his first wicket, cleaning up Vernon Philander for 23. South Africa are 221 for 7 in the 51st over. 

6.16 pm IST: Shikhar Dhawan denies Bhuvneshwar a five-for as he spills a simple catch off Keshav Maharaj at third slip. Virat Kohli looks disappointed, so does Dhawan. India can't afford to miss out on these chances as they don't come often. South Africa 204/6 in 47 overs. 

6.10 pm IST: Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues having a great day, removes Quinton de Kock for his fourth wicket as Saha takes a simple catch behind the wickets. De Kock departs for 43 and South Africa are 202 for 6 in the 45th over. Keshav Maharaj joins Vernon Philander at the crease. 

5.56 pm IST: Ravichandran Ashwin at last comes on to bowl in the 42nd over of the innings and concedes a four off the first ball to Quinton de Kock, who earlier in his innings took three successive fours off Jasprit Bumrah. South Africa 189/5. Vernon Philander is proving to be excellent company to de Kock.

5.27 pm IST: After a review was turned down, Hardik Pandya struck one ball later and had du Plessis caught behind for 62. Another big wicket for India. South Africa 142/5 

5.20 pm IST: Du Plessis reaches his 16th fifty off 98 balls, with a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah. South Africa 134/4. Du Plessis is now key for South Africa. India need to remove him as soon as possible as he looks in great touch.

5.11 pm IST: Big wicket for India. Jasprit Bumrah makes amends for the previous faux pas. AB de Villiers goes for a drive and finds an inside edge onto the stumps. De Villiers made 65. South Africa 126/4.

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5.01 pm IST: Incredible turn of events in Cape Town. Bumrah appeals for caught-behind from Faf du Plessis and the umpire says no. Showing faith in the bowler, Kohli reviews it and replays show it's a no-ball and that the ball didn't touch the bat. Well, that's what you call "much ado about nothing".

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A satisfactory first session for both teams. However, South Africa will feel a little better. If you divide the session into two halves, then the first half belonged to India, and second half belonged to South Africa. So what do you think about the opening session of this Newlands Test on a grassy pitch, which will only quicken with time?

SA were 12/3  and in trouble, that's when the genius AB de Villiers  came to their rescue.

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16:07: South Africa cross the 100-run mark in what probably is the last over before lunch.

AB de Villiers hit Bhuvi for a four off the first delivery of this over to cross the ton mark for SA. Du Plessis also picked up a boundary later in the over.  

South Africa 107/3 in 26 overs (du Plessis 37*; de Villiers 59)

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16:05: A good over by Pandya. He just concedes a single run.

South Africa 98/3 in 25 overs (du Plessis 33*; de Villiers 54)

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15:53: AB de Villiers reaches his half-century after smashing Shami for a four – off the first delivery of his ninth over. What a cracking cut by de Villiers. He hits it on top of the bounce and smashes it through cover.

Shami concedes nine runs.

South Africa 96/3 in 23 overs (du Plessis 33*; de Villiers 52)

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15:40: Another maiden over by Shami.

In the last 10 overs, South Africa have scored 38 runs, without getting out.

India have not changed their field yet, with nobody in the deep point. When Dhoni was the skipper and even when Kohli took over, you would often see a deep point in place in the first over of a match.

Or it might just be that the pitch making Kohli wanting to attack.

South Africa 70/3 in 19 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villiers 43)

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15:35: Bumrah concedes five runs in his fifth over.

AB de Villiers hit him for a four off the fourth delivery – a well-timed drive towards mid-off.

South Africa 69/3 in 18 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villiers 42)

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15:31: A maiden over by Shami. He is surprising du Plessis with every delivery.

The Newlands track looks unpredictable. Sometimes, a ball is shooting and surprising the batsman. Another time, there is swing, seam and lateral movement – giving Indian wicketkeeper Saha plenty work to do.

South Africa 64/3 in 17 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villers 37)

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15:24: Du Plessis and De Villiers are repairing South Africa's broken start in this game. Du Plessis hit Bumrah for two fours off the first two deliveries itself, taking their partnership to 50.

Kohli has his hands on his head. He knows it very well, that his bowlers need to break this partnership.

South Africa 64/3 in 16 overs (de Villiers 37*; du Plessis 17)

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15:20: South Africa reached their 50 off Shami's first delivery itself – de Villiers hit him for a lucky four, followed by another off the next delivery.

South Africa 55/3 in 15 overs (de Villiers 37*; du Plessis 8)

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15:16: Bumrah got hit for a four by du Plessis in his fifth delivery. Otherwise it has been a good over by the Test debutant, with four dot balls.

South Africa 47/3 in 14 overs (du Plessis 8*; de Villiers 29)

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15:10: A maiden over by Bhuvi. He concedes 0 runs in this over.

South Africa 42/3 in 13 overs (du Plessis 4*; de Villiers 28)

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15:01: Another decent over by Bhuvi. He concedes just five runs, including a four by AB de Villiers.

South Africa's current run rate is 3.55.

South Africa 39/3 in 11 overs (de Villiers 28*; du Plessis 3)

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14:56: A good over by Bumrah. He just concedes 2 runs.

South Africa 34/3 in 10 overs (de Villiers 24*; du Plessis 2)

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14:54: Test debutant Jasprit Bumrah comes to bowl.

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14:33: Third wicket in three overs for Bhuvi. He has suddenly made the mood in the Proteas' camp sombre and glum. He bowls a delivery at a good length and line. Amla, wanting to go for his favourite back-foot punch, could only manage to nick it behind to the wicketkeeper, and it was an easy take for  Saha.

Amla c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 3(10)

In comes, skipper Faf du Plessis.

South Africa 12/3 in 4.5 overs (AB de Villiers 4*)

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14:29:  Up goes the finger! Markram is walking off. He does not even bother to review. Bhuvi's  inswinger nipped in sharply catching the batsman by surprise. By the time, he realized, the ball has already pinged the pad below the knee-roll and sent him off.

Markram lbw b Bhuvneshwar 5(11).

In comes, AB de Villiers

South Africa 7/2 in 2.6 overs (Amla 2)

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14:20: What a ball by Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Elgar. 

Splendid delivery by Bhuvi and a nice catch by Saha.He pitches it around off, it nips away, and since Elgar is new to the crease, he has to play it and the slight seam movement does the job to crack a tough nut from SA's top order.

Dream start for India.

Elgar c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 0(3).

In comes Hashim Amla, right-handed batsman.

South Africa 0/1 in 0.3 overs (Markram 0)

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Good afternoon everyone.

Welcome to Zee News Sports' live commentary on South Africa vs India, 1st Test.

India play hosts South Africa in the first Test of the three-match series at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town today, 5th January 2018.

India have never won a cricket series in South Africa, but coach Ravi Shastri is confident that his men are capable of winning this time. India will play three Tests, 6 ODIs and 3 T20Is on this tour.

A series win in South Africa will see the Indians create a new world record of 10 consecutive Test series victories. India have won nine successive series and are currently on level with Australia.

India have played 17 Tests against South Africa in South Africa, winning two, losing eight and drawing seven.

The Newlands pitch has plenty of grass and is expected to help fast bowlers especially in the first session, says Shaun Pollock.

South Africa's skipper Faf du Plessis wins the toss and elects to bat first. Virat Kohli and his men will field.

Skipper Kohli has revealed that Jasprit Bumrah will be making his Test debut today

Proud moment for @Jaspritbumrah93 as he receives his Test cap from #TeamIndia Skipper @imVkohli #FreedomSeries #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/H7s4w8gSmh — BCCI (@BCCI) January 5, 2018

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah.

Ajinkya Rahane, who did very well against South Africa on India's last tour here, has missed the bus.

South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel.

Dale Steyn gets picked after missing out on cricket for almost 13 months.