Following his side’s landmark win over India at Kolkata, South African skipper Temba Bavuma, who struck a resilient half-century, said that expressed happiness at his side’s win and taking a crucial catch to dismiss Axar Patel, jokingly saying he was glad he could take it with his “small hands”. Bavuma’s resilient half-century, spinner Simon Harmer’s eight-for and the absence of skipper Shubman Gill due to injury led to India’s 31-run loss to Proteas, giving the visitors a 1-0 hand in the series. Besides this fifty, another important contribution by Bavuma was a fine catch to remove Axar, who was trying to counter attack and had hit Keshav Maharaj for a four and two sixes before the spinner got the last laugh, thanks to assistance from his captain.
Speaking about the match in the post-match presentation, Bavuma said, “You want to be a part of those types of games and obviously be on the right side of the result. I think we tried to hold our ground as much as we could. We knew it was going to be tough with the bat; it was tough for us, but we needed to capitalise on what was there. I think we guys did that beautifully. Fortunately, things have worked out quite well. Our bowlers got us back into the game, but that partnership with Bosch, I think a little bit with Marco as well, at the end of the day, just gave a little bit of impetus that we could play a little bit better this morning.”
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On his own batting in Indian and Asian conditions, Bavuma said, “I am just comfortable with myself, with my technique, not to worry about triggering and all those types of things. I have a decent understanding of the game. I’ve come here to India wanting to do well. I do not have the best record when it comes to these conditions. So it’s a bit of that exuberance on my side to see myself learning these conditions and implement all the little things that I am trying and keep contributing for the team. Opening up the leg a little bit (helped in the second innings). It was just an awareness the way I played it. Fortunately, I have played a few innings, so I understand a little bit of the adjustments that you need to make. And luck, we all need luck.”
Speaking on his catch to remove Axar, he said, “Crucial moment again. Axar, he had momentum on his side, and we kind of know how the Indian batters play. When they have momentum, they go even harder. So fortunately, he was able to make a mistake. I was able to grab him with my small hands. Those are those moments that you want to be a part of. You don’t want to give it to someone else. You want to be doing it for the team,” he concluded.
Earlier on day one, the Proteas won the toss and opted to bat first. Despite a half-century partnership between openers Aiden Markram (31 in 48 balls, with five fours and a six) and Ryan Rickelton (23 in 22 balls, with four boundaries), the current WTC champions just could not battle the pace and class of Jasprit Bumrah (5/27) and Mohammed Siraj (2/47) and were skittled out for 159 runs. Wiaan Mulder (24 in 51 balls, with three fours) and Tony de Zorzi (24 in 55 balls, with a four and a six) tried to lay down a platform with a 43-run stand for the fourth wicket, but the Proteas collapsed from 114/3 to 159 all out.
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Kuldeep Yadav also bowled well, getting two wickets for 36 runs.
India ended the first day at 37/1, with Marco Jansen getting Yashasvi Jaiswal for 12.
India had resumed the action at 37/1 on day two, trailing by 122 runs in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 159. Rahul (13*) and Washington Sundar (6*) were unbeaten.
The duo had a 57-run stand, which was dislodged by Harmer by removing Sundar for an 82-ball 29 (with two fours and a six). India was 75/2. After that, KL (39 in 119 balls, with four boundaries and a six), Rishabh Pant (27 in 24 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (27 in 45 balls, with three fours) failed to capitalise on the starts they got, as Harmer (4/30) and Jansen (3/35) led to India being bundled out from 109/2 to 189/9, with skipper Shubman Gill unavailable to bat after a neck spasm following a boundary. India had a 30-run lead in response to the Proteas’ first innings of 159 runs.
Proteas took to the field with an aim to eat into this slender lead, but Kuldeep and Jadeja constantly troubled the reigning World Test Champions with their impeccable turn, line and lengths, leaving them at 93/7 at the end of day two, with a lead of 63 runs.
Temba Bavuma (55* in 136 balls, with four boundaries) and Corbin Bosch (25 in 37 balls, with two fours and a six) pushed the lead to 123 runs, with SA all out at 153 runs. Ravindra Jadeja (4/50) was the pick of the bowlers for India, unleashing destruction on day two. Kuldeep (2/30) and Siraj (2/2) also got the lion’s share of wickets. Bumrah picked up one wicket.
In the run-chase, India lost openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal and sunk to 1/2. Washington Sundar (31 in 92 balls, with two fours) held things together as wickets fell from the other end and India was reduced to 77/7. Axar Patel (26 in 17 balls, with a four and two sixes) tried to counter-attack, but Keshav Maharaj (2/15) got him and Mohammed Siraj on two successive balls and left India restricted at 93/9, with Gill not there to bat.
Harmer, who took four-fers in both innings, got the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
