Rohit Sharma faced disappointment with the bat in his first international appearance since the World Cup 2023 final. South Africa's pacer Kagiso Rabada dismissed the Indian captain for five during the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. Rohit fell in the fifth over, attempting a pull shot on a short ball towards deep fine leg, where two fielders were positioned.
The 36-year-old's usual strength turned into a vulnerability as Rabada tactfully cramped his space, diminishing the power behind the shot. Until this point, the Proteas appeared to miss opportunities by bowling slightly short with the new ball. However, Rohit's crucial dismissal prompted a change in their strategy, eliminating one of India's key batting threats.
Both Rabada and Marco Jansen consistently achieved significant seam movement, evident in an lbw appeal against Rohit in the third over, which was turned down by the umpire. The fielding arrangement was assertive, featuring three slips, a gully, and a short leg, adding pressure on the batter. Despite this, India displayed sharp decision-making. Rohit demonstrated a reluctance to play deliveries outside his off stump before eventually getting dismissed.
In international cricket, Rabada made history by dismissing Rohit. The 28-year-old now holds the record for being the most successful bowler against Rohit, having achieved this feat 13 times. This surpasses the previous record held by New Zealand's bowler Tim Southee, who had dismissed Rohit 12 times.
In the earlier proceedings, South Africa's captain, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and chose to field first in the Boxing Day Test on December 26. The start was delayed by 30 minutes due to a wet outfield at Centurion.
"There is a bit of moisture in and around the wicket and we'd like to make good use of it," South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at the toss. Rohit said he was not sure whether he would have batted or bowled if he had won the toss. "At times like this, it is better to lose the toss," he quipped.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
South Africa Playing XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma(c), Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger
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