Kuldeep Strikes Three, South Africa 247-6 at Stumps

AFP/APP

Guwahati: Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took three crucial wickets as India dented South Africa’s batting lineup, leaving the tourists at 247-6 at stumps on the first day of the second Test on Saturday.

Tristan Stubbs scored 49 and skipper Temba Bavuma added 41, putting on an 84-run partnership for the third wicket after South Africa elected to bat in their quest for a first Test series win in India in 25 years.

India, the reigning World Test champions, had won the first Test in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens by 30 runs. Ravindra Jadeja removed Bavuma with his left-arm spin late in the day, while Kuldeep dismissed Stubbs just short of his fifty, thrilling the Guwahati crowd.

Kuldeep (3-48) also sent back Wiaan Mulder for 13, and pacer Mohammed Siraj ended Tony de Zorzi’s resistance on 28 with the second new ball. Left-hander Senuran Muthusamy was unbeaten on 25, and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne on one, when bad light forced stumps after 81.5 overs, slightly fewer than the usual 90 overs in a day.

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Earlier, Aiden Markram (38) and Ryan Rickelton (35) fell to Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep following an opening partnership of 82. Stubbs and Bavuma, promoted to number three, gradually counterattacked with regular boundaries and aggressive footwork against the Indian spinners before being dismissed.

Jadeja broke through by dismissing Bavuma, who had scored a fifty in the first Test, with a neat chip to mid-off. Stubbs tried to keep the tempo with a six off Jadeja but was soon caught at slip off Kuldeep.

Play started 30 minutes early, with session breaks reversed so tea preceded lunch at India’s newest Test venue. Over 15,000 fans attended the opening day.

Bumrah struck at the stroke of tea, bowling Markram who inside-edged onto his stumps. Kuldeep soon removed Rickelton on the third ball after the break, cutting short his 82-ball stay.

South Africa, who recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan, are chasing their first Test series win in India since Hansie Cronje’s team triumphed there in 2000.