By: Drcricket7 Staff
It was perfect opportunity for India when their captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat on a dry Mohali pitch in the opening Test match against South Africa.
But his decision to play this Test match on a surfaces where the ball grips backfired, after the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals in the Mohali Test.
Within 72 runs India lost four wickets and the damage was mostly caused by South African left-arm spinner Dean Elgar. The slow left-arm orthodox is more of a part-timer of sort who caused India’s middle-order downfall.
Dean Elgar got good support from rest of his teammates to keep India at bay, as they bundled the hosts for a paltry 201 in the first innings to get the early advantage in the Mohali Test.
India were jolted as early as in the second over, when they lost their out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan for a duck. It was Murali Vijay, who stood his ground with a patient knock of 75.
Murali Vijay along with Cheteshwar Pujara tried to build a sort of partnership, but after that it was South Africa bowlers who ruled the roost. India, playing the Mohali Test with three spinners, was one batsman short in the match.
With Test captain Virat Kohli(1) and Ajinkya Rahane (15) not making much with the bat, Ravindra Jadeja, while playing his comeback Test match, was right on the money.
Ravindra Jadeja batted with confidence which primarily came from his good domestic form. Along with Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja did a bit of repair work to stabilise the Indian innings.
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