On the back of Mohammed Siraj's career-best spell with the ball, Team India started its new year in the best possible manner and bundled out South Africa for just 55 runs on Day 1 of the second Test match at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on December 3. Siraj breathed fire with the ball as the Proteas batters found him unplayable on a strip that had some assistance for the pacers. In the end, the Indian pacer, who has a knack for running through the opposition's batting line-up, finished with stupendous figures of 6/15 in nine overs.
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In what became a regrettable decision for South Africa, Captain Dean Elgar's choice to bat first in his final Test match led to a disappointing performance for the home team. The decision backfired, leaving the Proteas struggling at the crease.
The South African batting lineup faltered significantly, with only Kyle Verreynne managing to score 15 runs and David Bedingham contributing 12. In stark contrast, the rest of the South African batsmen were unable to go beyond single-digit scores, underscoring the team's batting woes.
Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar capitalized on this opportunity. Bumrah's bowling figures stood at an impressive 2/25, while Mukesh Kumar remarkably conceded no runs, taking 2 wickets for 0 runs. Their combined efforts played a significant role in dismantling the South African batting order.
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