Tests returned to Kolkata’s Eden Gardens after 6 years. India last played a pink-ball Test against Bangladesh at the venue in November 2019. There was no shortage of excitement among the fans on the day long cricket returned to Eden Gardens after a long break. Jasprit Bumrah was the center of all the excitement at the end of the first day’s play.
India took the first day of the Eden Gardens Test against South Africa with the fire of this pacer’s bowling. The Proteas were bowled out for just 159 runs in the first innings. The visiting team started well. South Africa’s two openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put on 57 runs in the opening partnership. But this innings by South Africa is proof that the morning sun does not always predict the day.
Bumrah broke the partnership by returning Rickelton who had made 23 runs. He also took the wicket of another opener, Markram. One of the best batsmen in South Africa at the moment, he scored 31 runs before returning as the second batsman. After Bumrah’s double knock, the visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Wien Mulder and Tony de Georgie failed to extend the innings on the team’s dangerous day. Both of them departed for 24 runs each. Temba Bavuma disappointed. The captain scored 3 runs. In addition, Kyle Varane scored 16 and Tristan Stubbs scored 15 runs from the bat. After the two openers, Bumrah also returned Georgie, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj. He cost 27 runs on the way to taking 5 wickets. Mohammad Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets each.
In reply, Yashaswi Jaiswal was dismissed for 18 runs by Marco Janssen. The opener scored 12 runs. The hosts did not lose any more wickets in the last part of the day. Their total at the end of the first day was 37 runs. KL Rahul and Washington Sundar will come out to bat on the second day with 13 and 6 runs.
