Shared session: India and South Africa play out a shared first session on Day 1 of Eden Test

South Africa and India have played out a shared first session on Day 1 of the India vs South Africa, 1st Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After choosing to bat first, South Africa finished the session at 105/3 with Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi unbeaten at the crease for them. For India, Jasprit Bumrah picked up two wickets for them, while Kuldeep Yadav got one.

South Africa chose to bat first

Shubman Gill’s luck of losing the toss continued as Temba Bavuma, the Proteas captain, won the toss and wanted to bat first. The Eden Gardens pitch has been a center of attraction and controversy every time there has been a game, and South Africa wanted to capitalise on the freshness of the pitch and bat first.

Chheky Shubman Gill humorously commented that he would love to win the toss in the World Test Championship final, as toss luck has not been on his side since he became the captain.

With Dhruv Jurel guaranteed to play, the Indian team management brought a surprise change to the lineup to allow more all-rounders in the playing XI. Sai Sudharsan was dropped from the team sheet, as Washington Sundar was listed at No. 3 for India.

Read also: One more century and Shubman Gill will break Virat Kohli's this record

The visitors won the first hour and Bumrah struck back

The South African openers, Rickelton and Markram, gave the visitors a great start with the bat. They both raised their first fifty-run partnership on Indian soil after a long wait of 17 innings, scoring at an impressive rate close to six runs per over.

Their positive intent and ability to handle the tough Indian conditions showed promise. However, Rickelton's promising innings came to an abrupt end when Jasprit Bumrah, bowling from around the wicket, delivered a finely-paced ball just outside off stump.

Rickelton pushed down the wrong line, and the ball took his off stump, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Bumrah, in his next over, struck again, this time dismissing a well-set Aiden Markram. Bumrah bowled a near-unplayable delivery: a short-of-length ball that rose sharply after pitching, forcing Markram to offer a diving catch to Rishabh Pant, culminating in another vital wicket for India.

Kuldeep joined the party

Following the wicket of Markram, South Africa's score slipped from 57 without loss to 62 for 2, bringing in new batsmen Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder, both yet to open their accounts. The pressure was firmly on the visitors to rebuild after the early blows from the disciplined Indian attack.

A close-in plan worked well for Kuldeep as his leg spinner caught the edge of Bavuma’s bat and Dhurv Jurel caught a sharp catch to dismiss the South African captain cheaply on 3.

Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi steadied the ship

But when it looked like Indian bowlers would now start running through the African batting lineup, Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi steadied the ship for them. Their unbeaten 34-run partnership made sure South Africa won’t lose any more wickets and will share a balanced first session with India.

How to watch the match?

Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs South Africa, 1st Test online on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.

Score summary

India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj.

Lunch, day 1: South Africa 105/3 (Wiaan Mulder 22*, Tony de Zorzi 15*, Jasprtit Bumrah 7-4-9-2, Kuldeep Yadav 7-0-24-1)

Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Ryan Rickelton, 10.3 ov), 2-62 (Aiden Markram, 12.1 ov), 3-71 (Temba Bavuma, 15.6 ov)