‘It's just every bowler's dream,’ - Former pacer heaps praise on Bumrah, Siraj bowling against South Africa in 1st Test
A former pacer praises Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for their exceptional bowling against South Africa in the 1st Test, calling it every bowler’s dream spell.
Team India (Image Credit: BCCI)
Last Updated: 03.32 PM, Nov 15, 2025
India’s bowling performance against South Africa was top-notch, as they dismissed the visitors for 159 runs in the first innings. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj’s outstanding bowling display helped the hosts be in a commanding position. While Bumrah claimed a fifer, Siraj took two wickets in the first innings.
Amidst the seven wickets they claimed combined, two wickets: Ryan Rickleton dismissed by Bumrah and Marco Jansen dismissed by Siraj, were peaches of deliveries. Speaking about the dismissals, South Africa’s former pacer Dale Steyn showered praises on the bowlers for their terrific efforts in the match.
“I mean, how do you describe it? You run in, you look to hit a particular area on the pitch. In your mind, you envision this, and you let the ball go. It lands exactly where you want it to land. It goes past the bat, beats the pad and knocks the stumps out of the ground. It's just every bowler's dream,” said Dale Steyn in a video posted by BCCI.
“Not many feelings I have had in my life that can compare to it. And it is a feeling that you could bottle and repeat again and again. That's why we do it over and over again. There is art sometimes in the bowler, too. You run in, gather the release, hits the pitch and it misses the bat and it hits the stumps. There is something beautiful about it,” he added.
India bowled out for 189 against South Africa
After putting up a stunning show with the ball, the Indian batters have failed to produce a solid batting display, as they are dismissed for just 189 runs in the first innings. Other than KL Rahul, none of the batters could touch the 30-run mark. While Shubman Gill was retired hurt due to injury, the rest of the batters failed to provide partnerships and save the team from a collapse.
South Africa’s bowlers were quite valuable in taking the wickets and maintaining the pressure throughout the innings. Marco Jansen and Harmer claimed three and four wickets, respectively. Well, South Africa started batting in the second innings and have lost four wickets as we write. It will be interesting to see how far the match goes.
How to watch the India vs South Africa Test series?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs South Africa Test series starting on Novembber 14 on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.