Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 14 : A brilliant initial spell by Jasprit Bumrah helped India overcome a fiery start from openers while spinners exerted pressure in later stages, leaving India in a dominant position with three wickets in their hands and Proteas having crossed the 100-run mark at Eden Gardens on Friday.
At the end of the first session, SA was 104/3, with Wiaan Mulder (22*) and Tony de Zorzi (15*) unbeaten.
Electing to bat first, South African openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton were initially cautious, till Rickelton broke the shackles in the fourth over, making good use of a quick outfield and Mohammed Siraj's questionable lengths and getting two successive fours.
While Jasprit Bumrah was containing runs pretty well on one hand, Siraj was leaking runs and undoing his hardwork, as in the sixth over, he was struck with three boundaries, including a straight as an arrow cover drive and a scrumptious cover drive by Markram to end the over at score of 31.
Siraj was taken off the attack, but the introduction of spin with Axar Patel did not exactly pay dividends, as Markram got two boundaries against him in the eight over and a six over long-on in the 10th over. SA touched the 50-run mark by 9.2 overs, ending the first 10 overs at 57/0, with Markram (26*) and Rickelton (23*).
However, Bumrah beat the outside edge of Rickelton's bat and left the ball crashing into his off-stump, giving India their breakthrough in the 11th over. Rickelton was gone for 22-ball 23 (with four boundaries) and SA was 57/1 in 10.3 overs.
In the 12th over, extra bounce cost Markram his wicket as while attempting to get a feel of a fifth stump delivery that bounced too high, ball hit the shoulder of his bat, and Rishabh Pant dived to grab a catch. Markram was gone for a 48-ball 31 (with five fours and a six), with SA suddenly under the pump courtesy another piece of brilliance from Bumrah, at 62/2 in 12.1 overs.
The fresh pair of Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder had the task of taking the Proteas through the remainder of the session without a wicket. However, a delivery spinning back into Bavuma got the inside edge of his bat, with Dhruv Jurel ready to grab it at short-leg. Bavuma was gone for three, with SA at 71/3 in 16 overs.
Mulder continued playing some positive cricket, while Tony de Zorzi, in his first outing in India, tried finding his footing, eventually freeing his arms on his 21st ball for a six over long-off against Kuldeep.
Proteas brought up their 100-run mark in 24.3 overs, putting up a fight against the class of Indian spinners and ended the session one without any other loss.
South Africa: 104/3 (Aiden Markram 31, Ryan Rickelton 23, Jasprit Bumrah 2/9) vs India.