Bumrah shines as India skittles South Africa for 159 on Day 1 of Kolkata test

KOLKATA, India (AP) — India’s Jasprit Bumrah picked up his 16th five-wicket haul to help skittle South Africa out for a paltry 159 on the opening day of the first cricket test on Friday.

Fast bowler Bumrah claimed 5-27 as the Proteas were bowled out in 55 overs after Shubman Gill had lost a seventh toss in eight tests and South Africa had opted to bat.

India, in reply, was 37-1 with Lokesh Rahul unbeaten on 13 and Washington Sundar, promoted to No. 3, on 6 not out when play ended early due to bad light. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the only man out, clean bowled by Marco Jansen for 12.

Earlier, South Africa made a good start and was 57-0 in the first hour before the 31-year-old Bumrah took two wickets in five deliveries.

He bowled Ryan Rickelton (23) with a brilliant delivery in the 11th over and had Aiden Markram (31) caught behind off a rising ball.

Kuldeep Yadav also dismissed skipper Temba Bavuma for 3, caught at leg slip, before Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi put on 43 for the fourth wicket.

Yadav picked up another wicket when he trapped Mulder lbw for 24 and Bumrah did the same to remove De Zorzi.

Mohammad Siraj then got in on the act, trapping Kyle Verreynne lbw for 16 and clean bowling Jansen for a duck.

Bumrah returned to wrap up the innings by clean bowling Simon Harmer for 5 and having Keshav Maharaj lbw for a duck.

He became the first Indian pace bowler to register a five-wicket haul on day one of a home test since Ishant Sharma against Bangladesh at the same venue in 2019.

This is also the first test at Eden Gardens since that day-night test.

“The bounce is variable from one end,” fast bowler Siraj said. “The new ball was coming nicely onto the bat, but when it got soft the bounce was low as well. We wanted to bowl full and at the stumps. It is not easy for the batters to score runs, but we are in a good position.”

South Africa hasn’t won a test in India in 15 years.

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