What happened on Day 1 of the 2nd IND vs SA 2023-24 Test in Cape Town?

23 wickets fell on a madcap day of Test cricket between India and South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday, January 3. Batting first after winning the toss, South Africa were rolled over for a paltry 55 in 23.2 overs as Mohammed Siraj produced sensational figures of 6/15.

India looked well placed to gain a significant lead at 153/4 after 33 overs. The visitors, however, lost six wickets for no runs in 11 balls to be bowled out for 153 in 34.5 overs. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger all claimed three wickets each to engineer a spectacular batting collapse.

Having restricted India’s lead to just 98 runs, South Africa went to stumps at 62/3, trailing India by only 36 runs. Aiden Markram (36* off 51) was holding the fort for the visitors, with David Bedingham (7*) for company.

Earlier in the day, it was action from the word go as Siraj got a ball to shape away and had Markram (2) caught in the slip cordon in the fourth over. Dean Elgar (4) then chopped one from the Indian pacer back onto his stumps.

South Africa were three down for 11 when debutant Tristan Stubbs inside-edged a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah onto his thigh pad and the ball gently lobbed to Rohit Sharma at short leg.

Tony de Zorzi (2) was the next to go, strangled down leg by Siraj. South Africa had lost half their side for 34 when Siraj got one to bounce a little extra and forced an edge off Bedingham (12), which was taken in the slips.

Siraj completed his five-fer in the same over when he drew another nick from Marco Jansen (0) with a length ball around off.

Siraj had his sixth when Kyle Verreynne (15) edged a length ball to second slip. Mukesh Kumar dismissed Keshav Maharaj (3) with a short ball, while Burger (4) and Rabada (5) also fell cheaply as the Proteas were bowled out for their lowest score since 1932.

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India lose the chance to gain a huge advantage by losing six wickets for 0 runs

Responding to South Africa’s paltry score, Indian captain Rohit struck three fours off Ngidi in the second over. However, the Proteas struck back as Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) chopped a rising delivery from Rabada onto his stumps. Rohit looked good during his 39 but was done in by extra bounce as he fended one from Burger towards gully.

Shubman Gill (36) also got a start, but like Rohit, he too was caught at gully off Burger. Shreyas Iyer (0) nicked a length delivery from the left-arm pacer and was caught behind.

Virat Kohli was looking good at one end, but the floodgates opened once KL Rahul (8) nicked one to the keeper, attempting an upper cut off a rising delivery from Ngidi. Ravindra Jadeja (0) and Bumrah (0) also fell in the same over, done in by the extra bounce.

Kohli (46) fell in the next over, edging a length ball in the channel off Rabada. Siraj (0) was run out following a mix-up with Prasidh Krishna (0), who himself was caught at slip off the next delivery.

India had inexplicably lost six wickets without scoring a run, bringing South Africa right back in the contest.

The Proteas lost Elgar for 12 in the second innings. The left-handed batter, playing his last international game, poked at one outside off to lose his wicket.

De Zorzi (1) nicked a probing delivery from Kumar to the keeper, while Stubbs (1) fended one from Bumrah that reared up awkwardly and was also caught behind.

While Team India would be happy with their fightback, the Proteas are still very much in the game courtesy of the visitors’ unfathomable batting collapse.