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Jasprit Bumrah delivered a scintillating performance of fast bowling, claiming a five-wicket haul to skittle out South Africa for a mere 159 runs on the opening day of the first Test. In a commanding position, India reached 37 for the loss of one wicket at stumps, trailing by 122 runs.
After South African captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bat, openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton provided a solid foundation with a 57-run stand. However, the introduction of Bumrah into the attack triggered a dramatic collapse. The Indian pace spearhead drew first blood by dismissing Rickelton and quickly followed up by sending Markram back to the pavilion.
From a comfortable 57 for no loss, the Proteas' batting lineup crumbled under the relentless pressure from the Indian bowlers. Mohammed Siraj provided able support with two crucial wickets, while spinner Kuldeep Yadav also chipped in with a couple of dismissals. For the visitors, Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi were the joint top-scorers with a modest 24 runs each. Bumrah wrapped up the innings to finish with impressive figures of 5 for 27.
In their reply, India faced a minor setback when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was bowled by Marco Jansen for 12. However, KL Rahul, along with Washington Sundar who was promoted to number three, successfully navigated the remaining overs until bad light brought an early end to the day's play.
This two-match series is vital for both teams' campaigns in the World Test Championship, with India starting in third place and the reigning champions South Africa in fifth.
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