1st Test: Bumrah, Kuldeep Strike as South Africa Reach 105/3 at Lunch

Kolkata: Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav shared three wickets between them to keep South Africa in check, as the visitors reached 105/3 in 27 overs at lunch on Day 1 of the opening Test at Eden Gardens on Friday.

Bumrah set the tone with two early breakthroughs, removing both openers, while Kuldeep tightened India’s grip by dismissing skipper Temba Bavuma soon after the drinks break.

At 71/3, the Proteas were under pressure, but Tony de Zorzi (15 not out) and Wiaan Mulder (22 not out) steadied the innings with a calm 34-run partnership off 66 balls, ensuring no further setbacks before lunch.

Electing to bat, Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram handled the new ball with discipline, putting together a 50-run opening stand — South Africa’s first partnership of fifty or more in India after 17 innings. Rickelton looked fluent from the start, punishing Mohammed Siraj for width with three boundaries in an over.

Markram, after taking 22 balls to get off the mark, found his rhythm with crisp strokes off the back and front foot, and later stunned the fielders by stepping out to loft Axar Patel for a six over wide long-on.

Bumrah, who had already produced deliveries that varied sharply in bounce, pulled India back with a brilliant double strike — first beating Rickelton’s outside edge with a length ball that hit off stump, then drawing Markram into a false shot with a rising delivery that took the shoulder of the bat and was caught by a diving Rishabh Pant.

Kuldeep deepened South Africa’s troubles by trapping Bavuma for three with a smart leg-slip plan, as Dhruv Jurel completed the catch off the inside edge, reducing the visitors from a solid 57/0 to a shaky 71/3.

Mulder and de Zorzi then showed resilience against Kuldeep, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, and later negotiated Washington Sundar, who bowled the final over of a competitive morning session.

Brief Scores: South Africa 105/3 in 27 overs (Aiden Markram 31, Ryan Rickelton 23; Jasprit Bumrah 2/9, Kuldeep Yadav 1/24) vs India.

With inputs from IANS