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Pandya gets in on the act, removes du Plessis

India play hosts South Africa in the first Test of the three-match series at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town today, 5th January 2018. South Africa's skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat first.

5.56 pm IST: Ravichandran Ashwin at last comes on to bowl in the 42nd over of the innings and concedes a four off the first ball to Quinton de Kock, who earlier in his innings took three successive fours off Jasprit Bumrah. South Africa 189/5. Vernon Philander is proving to be excellent company to de Kock.

5.27 pm IST: After a review was turned down, Hardik Pandya struck one ball later and had du Plessis caught behind for 62. Another big wicket for India. South Africa 142/5

5.20 pm IST: Du Plessis reaches his 16th fifty off 98 balls, with a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah. South Africa 134/4. Du Plessis is now key for South Africa. India need to remove him as soon as possible as he looks in great touch.

5.11 pm IST: Big wicket for India. Jasprit Bumrah makes amends for the previous faux pas. AB de Villiers goes for a drive and finds an inside edge onto the stumps. De Villiers made 65. South Africa 126/4.


5.01 pm ISTIncredible turn of events in Cape Town. Bumrah appeals for caught-behind from Faf du Plessis and the umpire says no. Showing faith in the bowler, Kohli reviews it and replays show it’s a no-ball and that the ball didn’t touch the bat. Well, that’s what you call “much ado about nothing”.


A satisfactory first session for both teams. However, South Africa will feel a little better. If you divide the session into two halves, then the first half belonged to India, and second half belonged to South Africa. So what do you think about the opening session of this Newlands Test on a grassy pitch, which will only quicken with time?

SA were 12/3  and in trouble, that’s when the genius AB de Villiers  came to their rescue.


16:07: South Africa cross the 100-run mark in what probably is the last over before lunch.

AB de Villiers hit Bhuvi for a four off the first delivery of this over to cross the ton mark for SA. Du Plessis also picked up a boundary later in the over.

South Africa 107/3 in 26 overs (du Plessis 37*; de Villiers 59)


16:05: A good over by Pandya. He just concedes a single run.

South Africa 98/3 in 25 overs (du Plessis 33*; de Villiers 54)


15:53: AB de Villiers reaches his half-century after smashing Shami for a four – off the first delivery of his ninth over. What a cracking cut by de Villiers. He hits it on top of the bounce and smashes it through cover.

Shami concedes nine runs.

South Africa 96/3 in 23 overs (du Plessis 33*; de Villiers 52)


15:40: Another maiden over by Shami.

In the last 10 overs, South Africa have scored 38 runs, without getting out.

India have not changed their field yet, with nobody in the deep point. When Dhoni was the skipper and even when Kohli took over, you would often see a deep point in place in the first over of a match.

Or it might just be that the pitch making Kohli wanting to attack.

South Africa 70/3 in 19 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villiers 43)


15:35: Bumrah concedes five runs in his fifth over.

AB de Villiers hit him for a four off the fourth delivery – a well-timed drive towards mid-off.

South Africa 69/3 in 18 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villiers 42)


15:31: A maiden over by Shami. He is surprising du Plessis with every delivery.

The Newlands track looks unpredictable. Sometimes, a ball is shooting and surprising the batsman. Another time, there is swing, seam and lateral movement – giving Indian wicketkeeper Saha plenty work to do.

South Africa 64/3 in 17 overs (du Plessis 17*; de Villers 37)


15:24: Du Plessis and De Villiers are repairing South Africa’s broken start in this game. Du Plessis hit Bumrah for two fours off the first two deliveries itself, taking their partnership to 50.

Kohli has his hands on his head. He knows it very well, that his bowlers need to break this partnership.

South Africa 64/3 in 16 overs (de Villiers 37*; du Plessis 17)


15:20: South Africa reached their 50 off Shami’s first delivery itself – de Villiers hit him for a lucky four, followed by another off the next delivery.

South Africa 55/3 in 15 overs (de Villiers 37*; du Plessis 8)


15:16: Bumrah got hit for a four by du Plessis in his fifth delivery. Otherwise it has been a good over by the Test debutant, with four dot balls.

South Africa 47/3 in 14 overs (du Plessis 8*; de Villiers 29)


15:10: A maiden over by Bhuvi. He concedes 0 runs in this over.

South Africa 42/3 in 13 overs (du Plessis 4*; de Villiers 28)


15:01: Another decent over by Bhuvi. He concedes just five runs, including a four by AB de Villiers.

South Africa’s current run rate is 3.55.

South Africa 39/3 in 11 overs (de Villiers 28*; du Plessis 3)


14:56: A good over by Bumrah. He just concedes 2 runs.

South Africa 34/3 in 10 overs (de Villiers 24*; du Plessis 2)


14:54: Test debutant Jasprit Bumrah comes to bowl.


14:33: Third wicket in three overs for Bhuvi. He has suddenly made the mood in the Proteas’ camp sombre and glum. He bowls a delivery at a good length and line. Amla, wanting to go for his favourite back-foot punch, could only manage to nick it behind to the wicketkeeper, and it was an easy take for  Saha.

Amla c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 3(10)

In comes, skipper Faf du Plessis.

South Africa 12/3 in 4.5 overs (AB de Villiers 4*)


14:29:  Up goes the finger! Markram is walking off. He does not even bother to review. Bhuvi’s  inswinger nipped in sharply catching the batsman by surprise. By the time, he realized, the ball has already pinged the pad below the knee-roll and sent him off.

Markram lbw b Bhuvneshwar 5(11).

In comes, AB de Villiers

South Africa 7/2 in 2.6 overs (Amla 2)


14:20: What a ball by Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Elgar. 

Splendid delivery by Bhuvi and a nice catch by Saha.He pitches it around off, it nips away, and since Elgar is new to the crease, he has to play it and the slight seam movement does the job to crack a tough nut from SA’s top order.

Dream start for India.

Elgar c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 0(3).

In comes Hashim Amla, right-handed batsman.

South Africa 0/1 in 0.3 overs (Markram 0)


Good afternoon everyone.

Welcome to Zee News Sports’ live commentary on South Africa vs India, 1st Test.

India play hosts South Africa in the first Test of the three-match series at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town today, 5th January 2018.

India have never won a cricket series in South Africa, but coach Ravi Shastri is confident that his men are capable of winning this time. India will play three Tests, 6 ODIs and 3 T20Is on this tour.

A series win in South Africa will see the Indians create a new world record of 10 consecutive Test series victories. India have won nine successive series and are currently on level with Australia.

India have played 17 Tests against South Africa in South Africa, winning two, losing eight and drawing seven.

The Newlands pitch has plenty of grass and is expected to help fast bowlers especially in the first session, says Shaun Pollock.

South Africa’s skipper Faf du Plessis wins the toss and elects to bat first. Virat Kohli and his men will field.

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