Kolkata, Nov 14 (IANS) India’s bowlers tightened their grip on the opening Test as they reduced South Africa to 154/8 in 52 overs at tea on day one’s play at the Eden Gardens on Friday. After a shared morning session, India dominated the post-lunch passage of play, claiming five wickets while conceding just 49 runs in 25 overs.

Apart from Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav adding one more scalp each to their wicket-taking tally, Mohammed Siraj found his rhythm to strike twice, while Axar Patel did well to get a wicket at the stroke of tea. With Tristan Stubbs still unbeaten on 15, India will sense that they can wrap up South Africa’s innings quickly in the post-tea session and get to have a crack with the bat till stumps arrives.

Kuldeep and Bumrah set the tone immediately for India after the lunch interval by maintaining relentless accuracy. That relentlessness was rewarded when Wiaan Mulder’s attempt to reverse-sweep Kuldeep ended in him being trapped plumb lbw, with the all-rounder also burning a review.

Bumrah’s inswinger kept low and came in off the team from round the wicket to trap Tony de Zorzi lbw for 24. Though Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne tried stabilising South Africa’s innings Siraj found his rhythm with some reverse swing and struck twice in the 45th over to remove Verreynne and Marco Jansen.

While Verreynne was slow to bring his bat down and was trapped lbw by a nip-backer from Siraj, the pacer got one to tail in from length and castled Marco Jansen through the gate for a three-ball duck. Axar joined the wicket-taking party just before the tea break by trapping Corbin Bosch lbw with a straight delivery to leave India happy and South Africa in dire straits.

Brief Scores: South Africa 154/8 in 52 overs (Aiden Markram 31, Ryan Rickelton 23; Jasprit Bumrah 3-23, Kuldeep Yadav 2-36) against India

–IANS

nr/bc