By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mohammed Siraj’s six-wicket haul restricted South Africa to 55 in the second Test at Cape Town. The Indian pacer made ball talk after South Africa captain Dean Elgar opted to bat first.
Siraj ran riot at regular intervals, leaving no room for improvement to the South African batters. Kyle Verreynne was South Africa’s top-scorer with 15 runs on what has been a disastrous morning for the hosts.
He was backed up by Mukesh Kumar (2/0 in 2.2 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/25 in eight overs).
It was the Proteas’ lowest total in a Test since they were dismissed for 45 by Australia in Melbourne 92 years ago and the eighth-lowest total in their history.
The Proteas won the first Test at Centurion by more than an innings.
The hosts have made three changes. Lungi Ngidi, Tristan Stubbs and spinner Keshav Maharaj were included in place of Gerald Coetzee, Temba Bavuma and Keegan Petersen. India also made a couple of changes. Ravindra Jadeja comes in for R Ashwin, while Mukesh Kumar replaces Shardul Thakur.
The match is Dean Elgar’s last before he hangs up his Test boots.
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar.