South Africa’s left-arm pacer Marco Jansen finally got the breakthrough he was hunting for, and the entire Eden Gardens fell quiet in an instant as the young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal fell cheaply on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test in Kolkata.
Yashasvi Jaiswal tried to play a cut shot to a Marco Jansen delivery that didn’t give him enough space, and things went horribly wrong. Jansen dragged his length back, Jaiswal tried to force it off the back foot, and the inside edge sent the ball crashing into his leg stump.
Marco Jansen shocks Eden Gardens as Yashasvi Jaiswal falls for 12
The left-handed batter stood there for a moment in disappointment before walking back after scoring 12 off 27 balls with the help of three boundaries against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
Earlier, South Africa looked strong at lunch with 105 for 3, but the scoreboard told a completely different story by the end of the day. The collapse began early when Jasprit Bumrah broke the opening stand in classic style at the Eden Gardens.
Eden Gardens turns nightmare for South Africa
First, Ryan Rickelton was beaten by a perfect delivery that shaped away at the last moment, and soon after, Aiden Markram gloved a sharp rising ball, putting South Africa under immediate pressure. Kuldeep Yadav then joined the attack and delivered a beautifully controlled spell.
The wrist-spinner’s clever variations trapped Captain Temba Bavuma, who walked back in disappointment after Dhruv Jurel snapped up a sharp catch behind the stumps. With that blow, the visitors slipped to three down and were struggling to build any real momentum on a pitch offering uneven bounce at the Eden Gardens.
After lunch, Bumrah and Kuldeep continued tightening the screws. Both struck again in quick succession, pushing South Africa deeper into trouble at five down for 120. Mohammed Siraj then took over the damage control for India and produced two vital breakthroughs, ripping through the middle order and leaving South Africa seven down for just 147 runs on the board.
In the final session, Bumrah returned for one last spell and cleaned up the tail with ruthless accuracy. Two more wickets fell to his pace, as South Africa was bowled out for just 159 runs. India completely dominated the opening day, thanks to Bumrah’s five-wicket haul, putting South Africa under massive pressure in the ongoing two-match Test series opener in Kolkata.
Yashasvi Jaiswal opens up on Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli legacy and his own path
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has opened up about the influence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, saying the two modern greats inspired an entire generation of cricketers, including him. With India entering a new phase in Test cricket, many see Jaiswal as their replacement, but he has made it clear that he isn’t trying to replace anyone.
Jaiswal said that the legacy of Rohit and Kohli is far too big for anyone to match, and he doesn’t see himself filling their shoes. Instead, the left-handed batter wants to focus on his own game, trust his strengths, and continue growing as a cricketer in his own style.
Yashasvi Jaiswal said on JioHotstar, “What Rohit Bhaiya and Virat Bhai have done in their careers is incredible. They’ve inspired an entire generation, including me. I see it as an opportunity to learn from them and do my best. I know I can’t fill their shoes, but I’ll back my strengths and play with confidence.”