India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1 LIVE Score: Bumrah’s Masterclass
India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1 LIVE Score updates show that captain Shubman Gill’s calculated gambit paid immediate dividends as fast bowling ace Jasprit Bumrah delivered a devastating opening spell at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Bumrah’s Masterclass saw him scalp two crucial wickets in consecutive overs, tearing down the solid opening stand built by the Proteas after they opted to bat first.
The initial selection controversy surrounding the bold decision to drop in-form batter Sai Sudharsan for an extra spinner, Axar Patel, was quickly overshadowed by Bumrah’s sheer brilliance. The live updates confirm South Africa was reduced to 62/2, with captain Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder attempting to rebuild before Kuldeep Yadav further rattled the middle order.
India vs South Africa: Shubman Gill’s Bold Team Selection Shocker
The pre-match narrative was dominated by India’s unexpected playing XI. Captain Shubman Gill and the team management made a contentious decision to omit the promising top-order batter Sai Sudharsan. Sudharsan, who was being groomed for the challenging No. 3 spot, was replaced by a fourth specialist spinner, Axar Patel, joining Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar. This spin-heavy strategy, designed to exploit a potentially turning Eden Gardens pitch, was a clear statement of intent to dictate terms at home, prioritizing bowling depth over a specialist batter.
The decision was heavily debated by pundits, who questioned the rationale of benching a player who had recently shown impressive form. However, the subsequent performance of the bowling attack provided a strong argument for Gill’s tactical genius. South Africa’s challenge was compounded by the absence of their star pacer, Kagiso Rabada, who was ruled out due to a rib injury, forcing them to rely on an inexperienced pace attack.
Jasprit Bumrah’s Masterplan Takes Flight
Despite the focus being on spin, it was the world-class pace of Jasprit Bumrah that broke the game open. South Africa’s openers, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, had provided a flying start, reaching 57 without loss. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Bumrah removed Rickelton with a searing delivery that clipped the off-stump. He followed up in his very next over, trapping the dangerous Markram, who was caught behind by Rishabh Pant. The sheer pace and accuracy of Bumrah proved too hot to handle on the Day 1 surface, justifying the faith placed in the pace attack to get early breakthroughs before the spinners could dominate. At the time of lunch, South Africa were struggling at 105/3, with Kuldeep Yadav claiming the crucial wicket of Temba Bavuma just before the break.
Proteas Wicket Collapse After Lunch
The post-lunch session saw India tighten their grip on the match. Mohammed Siraj, after an initially expensive spell, found his rhythm and removed both Tony de Zorzi and Marco Jansen in quick succession, with Jansen falling for a duck. The South Africa middle and lower order struggled to counter the relentless pressure from both the pace duo and the spin of Kuldeep Yadav. The pitch, which looked flat early on, started to show signs of uneven bounce, making survival difficult. The live score plummeted as the wickets fell rapidly, confirming the success of Shubman Gill’s tactical gamble. The IND vs SA LIVE Score now shows a dominant performance by the hosts, who are firmly in control after winning the first session convincingly. The key for South Africa will be the partnership between the remaining batters to avoid a Day 1 collapse.
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