What seemed a sedate session with Virender Sehwag scoring his fourth Test century against India turned into venom post tea as Dale Steyn crashed India’s party to force a follow in 30 Tests at home for India. And already India lost two wickets, including Sehwag, at the time of this post as the first Test of the India South Africa Test series reaches a crescendo rather quickly at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.
It all began with the Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, trying to get out of the way of a spin web from Paul Harris only to have the ball bounce viciously after pitching in the rough outside the batsman’s leg stump, taking the glove for an easy catch. This happened after Sehwag became Wayne Parnell’s wicket after his century. Thereafter Dale Steyn showed his pedigree and had the Indian batsmen hopping mad. Subramaniam Badrinath fell to a deliberate ploy, caught off Steyn for fifty-six.
In the span of eight overs and scoring twelve runs, India lost their six wickets as Steyn struck with a deadly accuracy that had a jarring effect on the Indian dressing room. The parade was so fast that the next batsman barely had time to put on his pads.
Four of Steyn’s wickets had the stumps disturbed and the leather kept coming, fast, hot and accurate like a heat seeking missile. The Indians resembled sitting ducks as Steyn added seven to his kitty, two in a single over, as the complexion of the match dramatically changed.
India bowled out for 233, South Africa may have been tempted not to bat in the fourth innings. But with a lead of 325 runs, India not managing the remaining 125 runs to avoid the follow on, Graeme Smith, the South African team, took a brief moment of discussion, rallied the troops and asked India to bat.
But the story began as if in continuation of India’s first innings. Gautam Gambhir was still in shock, unable to gauge his off stumps, and eventually bowled out by Morne Morkel. India’s saving grace from the first innings, Sehwag, too fell prey to the sizzling pace of Steyn, making just 16 and reducing India to 24/2.
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