Guwahati: India removed both South African openers in the space of three deliveries on either side of morning break but the visitors displayed way more purpose on a better batting track to post 156 for 2 at lunch on the opening day of the second Test Saturday.
After Aiden Markram (38) found his defence breached off the final Jasprit Bumrah delivery in the morning session, it was Kuldeep Yadav, who picked Ryan Rickleton within two deliveries post resumption to set some panic among the Proteas ranks.
However, skipper Temba Bavuma (36 batting) was composed as usual, defending well and that also gave an initially shaky Tristan Stubbs (32) time to settle down and play some confident strokes in an unbroken stand of 74 for the third wicket.
For the spinners, there was some turn on offer, but that could be termed as negligible and Stubbs, in particular, used his long strides to defend well.
Once he gained confidence, the right-hander lofted Kuldeep for a huge six over long-on and also pulled Bumrah (1/17 in 12 overs) through mid-wicket.
Bumrah, though, was the best bowler on view during the first two sessions, where Indian bowlers didn’t enjoy the kind of help that they received from an underprepared track at Eden Gardens.
In the morning session, Bumrah had removed Markram with the final delivery of the first session.
He bowled a probing morning spell, repeatedly posing questions to both Markram and Rickleton but they did well enough to add 82 runs for the opening stand.
Markram survived the opening six-over spell, largely due to KL Rahul dropping a regulation catch in the second slip when he was batting on six.
Just when it seemed that Proteas’ opening pair were firmly in control, Bumrah bowled a full delivery and Markram, going for an expansive drive, was castled.
Towards the end of the first session, a couple of deliveries from Kuldeep and Washington Sundar did turn and jump, but the better batting surface on offer made the job of the openers way easier.
There wasn’t any sign of uneven bounce first up, but Bumrah did make liberal use of the lateral movement that was on offer.
Bumrah did challenge the outside edge of both Rickleton and Markram’s bats, while Siraj repeatedly troubled the southpaw with his angular deliveries, which would pitch on middle and move away.
PTI
