By: Tarish Bhatt
Taking nothing away from the Indian bowlers, South Africa must be gutted with their performance. They showed no application, no commitment of any sort and were ripped apart by the Indians in the second day of the Kotla Test.
It was Ravindra Jadeja, who initiated South Africa’s downfall, and was supported by fellow bowlers, on a pitch that was providing some assistance, but nothing like the Mohali or Nagpur tracks.
The left-arm spinner, Ravindra Jadeja ripped through the top-order by dismissing Temba Bavuma, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers. He finished with a fifer to bundle South Africa for a paltry 121 at stumps on Day 2.
Umesh Yadav also bowled superbly and finished with a couple of wickets, while Ishant Sharma produced a jaffa to get rid of Dane Vilas. Ravichandran Ashwin finished with a wicket.
Earlier, it was Ajinkya Rahane, who snatched the advantage from South Africa, with a well-crafted century under pressure. He made crucial partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin to help India in posting an imposing 334.
Ravichandran Ashwin also did his part by making a gutsy fifty, but Ajinkya Rahane was the star performer for India with the bat, and managed to make his fifth Test century, first of the series, in Kotla.
Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin stitched a 98-run partnership for the eighth wicket, and ensured that South Africa doesn’t get the advantage that they were looking for.
Despite the departure of Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin continued to pile runs and made a small partnership with Umesh Yadav, who later went on to complete his 50 wickets in Test cricket.
Kyle Abbott, however, didn’t allow Indian tail to tease South Africa much, and removed Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma in successive balls to complete his fifer. Dane Piedt took four for the Proteas.
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