‘Nobody is going to say about pitch now’ Fans react after 23 wickets fall on Day one of second Test in Cape Town
Cape Town saw 23 wickets fall on the first day of the second and final Test match. Bowlers dominated proceedings as the Test Match is headed for an early finish. South Africa came into the Test holding a 1-0 lead in the series. Dean Elgar decided to bat first and saw his team bowled out for 55 runs in the first innings. Mohammed Siraj picked career best 6/15 to bundle out the opposition in the first session. Batting in their first innings India were all out for 153 with an overall lead of 98 runs.
From the score reading 153/4, the Indians were all out for the same score inside two overs. Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada ran through the visitor’s batting lineup to keep South Africa’s hopes alive.
An eventful day in Cape Town –
Trailing by 98 runs in the second innings South Africa saw Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram begin positively. Dean Elgar was playing his final Test innings for South Africa and played a few delightful shots.
Mukesh Kumar was brought into the attack and it paid immediate dividends. Bowling from around the wicket, Mukesh got a thick edge of Elgar’s bat for 12 to be caught by Virat Kohli. The former India skipper was seen celebrating cheekily as his long-time rival made his final walk off the park.
Tony De Zorzi was the next batter to be dismissed as KL Rahul took a smart low catch. Test Debutant Tristan Stubbs was the 3rd and final wicket of the second innings. Jasprit Bumrah got the ball to climb and KL Rahul took an easy catch to end Stubb’s stay at the wicket.
Aiden Markram was not out on 36 with David Bedingham who was on seven. The home side still trails India by 36 runs as the match looks heading for a finish on the 2nd day. Fans across the world vented their ire at the state of the pitch that was given.
Many questioned the Indian Cricket Board and the Apex Cricket Council over the nature of the wicket. Fans also wondered if the experts would have kept quiet if India had prepared such a pitch for a Test match.
Here’s how the fans reacted –
Virat Kohli is the top scorer of day 1. Total of 27 batters batted today and 23 wickets were fallen.
Nobody is going to say about pitch now because it's not India.#INDvsSA— Mayank Pandey (@MayankTweets18) January 3, 2024
#INDvsSA ये क्रिकेट है क्या ? ये गली कूचे में खेले जाने वाले गुल्ली डंडे का खेल है , भई!
— A N THAKUR (@thakuran) January 3, 2024
https://twitter.com/tiwarianubhav04/status/1742579396446404901
https://twitter.com/jassipaajii/status/1742573899827622285
https://twitter.com/haridada_/status/1742580643895333177
Today, Mukesh Kumar really showed why he deserves to be at the front of the line alongside the Siraj-Boom-Shami trio. He bowls with precision and consistency, like a machine. He's definitely made for Test cricket! pic.twitter.com/Q3EVKYR6nS
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952_) January 3, 2024
Day 1 of Cape Town Test between India @BCCI n @ProteasMenCSA where 23 wickets tumbled. Well bowled @mdsirajofficial @Jaspritbumrah93 Mukesh Kumar to bowl out hosts for 55 in 1st inns. #INDvSA #INDvsSA #Siraj #MohammedSiraj #JaspritBumrah #MukeshKumar
— Vivek Prabhakar (@vps_vivek) January 3, 2024
Had this been played in india… everybody would have blamed the pitch … but now its batters quality.#indvssatest #indvssa2023
— Ninad (@ninaddesai) January 3, 2024