All the talk leading up to the third Test between India, which leads the Paytm Freedom series 1-0, and World No.1 South Africa had been around the possible duration of the Test and the capacity of the Indian spinners to bring about an early finish.
With 12 wickets crashing on the first day and not a great deal scored by the batsmen, the cricket soothsayer will have enjoyed a field day.
However, India’s assistant coach Sanjay Bangar was heard saying that a lot more cricket has to be played in the remaining four days.
Dry surfaceThere was no doubt that the local curators had followed the unwritten rule of keeping the surface dry, ensuring that the series would continue in a spin-friendly environment.
South Africa captain Hashim Amla’s act of tossing the ball to off-spinner Simon Harmer just 42 minutes into the opening day after a mere eight overs from Morne Morkel and Kasigo Rabada only confirmed that.
In the event it turned out to be a profitable move as the visitors restricted the home team to a meagre 215.
The Indian line-up, bolstered by the inclusion of Rohit Sharma at the expense of a second seamer in Varun Aaron, found out in the first hour of play that their footwork, patience and nerves would be put under severe examination as the turning ball would increasingly dominate proceedings; there was also the element of uneven bounce.
There is no gainsaying the fact that South Africa’s new-ball potential was considerably diminished with Dale Steyn not in the scheme of things.
With Rabada still a tyro at the international level, Morkel took upon himself to steam in and break the home team’s back. He dismissed the settled Murali Vijay, India captain Virat Kohli and then Ajinkya Rahane. Morkel also posed a threat once the ball started to reverse.
Morkel made Vijay duck on a couple of occasions in his opening burst, and on one occasion the right-handed opener took a blow on the lower part of the arm guard.
In his second spell, Morkel beat Vijay in the air and off the pitch, and the leg-cutter released from a high position, struck Vijay’s back leg in front of the stumps.
Having found his rhythm with speed, Morkel took centre-stage; he made Rahane play across and bowled him, and thereafter ejected Kohli.
Harmer’s strategyHarmer, unlucky to not be among wickets in his opening spell, got his first scalp when he forced Cheteshwar Pujara to play back. Bowling around the wicket and from close to the return crease, Harmer trapped Pujara in front.
This was Harmer’s strategy: tempting the right hander to sweep with a man at backward square leg. It was natural that the two slips and a gully would on occasion make way for a short slip, gully and the leg-trap for the off-spinner.
Once he decided on the pace with which he should bowl, Harmer removed Rohit, with the turning and bouncing ball taking the bottom hand glove of the batsman.
There was clear evidence of the Indian batsmen’s intention to endure the hazards of the turning ball; at least seven batsmen — Vijay, Dhawan, Pujara, Kohli, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin — blocked deliveries and spent time in the middle.
Raised on virtual powder tops in Rajkot, Jadeja proved adroit in dealing with the circumstances, and Saha showed remarkable patience for two hours and 21 minutes, as a result of which the seventh wicket stand delivered a priceless 48 runs.
Later, in a little over half-an-hour, Ashwin and Jadeja dispatched an opener and a night watchman, which brought Amla to the middle.
This is a Test match which has seen India and Kohli deviate from the five-bowler composition by picking just one seamer in Ishant Sharma.
Once again, the task is cut out for Ashwin and Jadeja and they will probably have the last say.
