First test highlights mainly reflect the overall performance of the South African team. While the Indian batters struggled to get singles, their South African counterparts displayed fearlessness, scoring confidently and ultimately securing a big win over India.
Match Summary
India and South Africa were again on the ground in the first match of two test matches series. The game started on December 26, and South African captain Temba Bavuma decided to bowl first after winning the toss. India started poorly and lost some of their main wickets very early. However, wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul emerged as a standout performer, securing a century and playing a pivotal role in guiding India to a total of 245 runs.
In response, the South African team took a solid start and played attacking cricket. Despite the early dismissals of Markram and Pietersen, Elgar held firm at one end of the innings. Dean Elgar’s solid innings of 185 played a crucial role as South Africa posted a commendable total of 408 runs.
In their second innings, India continued its poor performance and got all out after scoring just 131 runs. Virat Kohli scored a maximum of 76 runs this time. However, his innings were not enough to save India from a humiliating defeat.
India lost the first test match by one innings and 32 runs, which is a shame for all Indian fans.
First Test full highlights
As mentioned earlier, the first test highlights are all about South Africa’s mind-blowing performance. In the first Test, South Africa played amazingly well. It felt like India was just there to support them. Throughout all three days, South African players did everything they wanted, while Indian players and fans could only watch Temba’s team dominating the game.
When India started batting, the pitch looked challenging for the batters and suited the bowlers. However, when the time came for the Indian bowlers to take the field, the conditions changed completely. Now, the bowlers were finding it tough, and the batters took control by dominating the proceedings.
In total, the Indian cricket team did nothing in the game, excluding KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and J. Bumrah.
India first Innings
India lost their captain, Rohit Sharma, with a total team score of 13 runs. Rohit scored just five runs before donating his wicket to Rabada. Yashasvi Jaiswal also decided to throw his wicket on a total personal score of 17 runs. The next batsman, Shubhman Gill, also lost his wicket early and scored only five runs before going back to the dressing room with a total team score of 24 runs.
Following the loss of three quick wickets, Virat Kohli and Iyer attempted to establish a partnership, successfully crossing the 50-run mark. Unfortunately, Iyer was dismissed, with the team totaling 92 runs. Kohli, too, couldn’t hold his wicket and fell to Rabada. Nevertheless, KL Rahul played a fantastic innings, contributing 101 runs for his team.
South Africa’s first innings
In response to India’s weak score, South Africa made a strong start. Although, Markram got out early with a total team score of 11 runs. Elgar’s impressive innings of 185 runs remained a standout feature for South Africa. Bedingham and Marco Jansen also made significant contributions, each scoring fifties, further bolstering South Africa’s total. With a combined effort, South Africa posted a substantial score of 408 runs in their first innings, establishing a commanding lead in the match.
India second innings
India’s second innings was the worst match for Indian fans. Apart from Virat Kohli, there was no single person to spend at least a few minutes on the ground. They scored only 131 runs, with the support of Kohli’s 76 runs, and lost the first match badly.
For more cricket updates, please click here.