A little after India collapsed spectacularly to give South Africa an innings win in the First Test at the SuperSport Park on Thursday, the blue sky turned grey, then dark, and then it opened up. The rain was heavy, the wind strong.
Bad timing, the Indian fans — there were many of them — would have accused the rain of. But, it would have taken a deluge for India to save this Test: another two days still remained.
A Test match finishing well ahead of schedule is no rarity in these times of more aggressive style — including Bazball — influenced by white-ball cricket and the steady decline of grafters. Still, India’s capitulation was worryingly swift. Its second innings lasted just 34.1 overs. It has to be one of India’s weakest batting displays since the debacle in the Adelaide Test three years ago, when it was bowled out by Australia for 36 in the second innings.
It would be unfair to put all the blame on the batters, though. The bowlers didn’t exactly crown themselves in glory. Yes, they were up against a man who was determined to play the innings of his life: Dean Elgar looked like an immovable object, and this time an object that was very easy on the eye.
But the bowlers — with the glorious exception of Jasprit Bumrah — were a bit too generous to him, as well as debutant David Bedingham and Marco Jansen. It was his century partnerships with them that made South Africa’s lead a little too uncomfortable for the visitors.
To be fair, India had begun the match with a big handicap. Its best bowler at the World Cup, Mohammed Shami, couldn’t join the squad. He would have relished the wicket and the conditions here.
He was replaced by debutant Prasidh Krishna. The Karnataka seamer, who had played only 12 First Class matches before, could not replicate his excellent show (a five-wicket haul with a hat-trick) in India-A’s recent match against South Africa-A at Potchefstroom.
Prasidh struggled with his length; so did Shardul Thakur. Mohammed Siraj fared better, while Bumrah, who hasn’t played Test cricket in about a year and a half, was brilliant.
The difference between the lead cast and the supporting one was as big in the batting department, too. India’s two best batters equipped for overseas tours like this, Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul, showed their class yet again.
Rahul’s 101 off 137 balls was arguably one of the best Test innings by an Indian batter in recent times, while Kohli’s 76 off 82 balls in the second was a lone battle, with Shubman Gill being the only other to get into double figures.
For all his undeniable gift and compelling style, Gill has to show consistency in SENA countries. The young Yashasvi Jaiswal and the more experienced Shreyas Iyer too have their tasks cut out, while skipper Rohit Sharma will have to find a way to deal with Kagiso Rabada.
