Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
Temba Bavuma paid the price for his momentary indiscretion while Tristan Stubbs fell prey to Kuldeep Yadav's guile as the bowlers put India on top in the second Test, reducing South Africa to 247 for 6 on an attritional opening day's cricket, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
It was a track with a difference, where survival, unlike Kolkata, wasn't difficult. But, at the same time, it wasn't a belter either where a team could just race away with a flurry of boundaries.
The Indian bowlers --- especially Kuldeep (3/48) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/38) -- displayed immaculate control and mastery on a track that was reasonably good for batting with no signs of variable bounce whatsoever.
Ravindra Jadeja (1/30) didn't get much help off the surface, but dismissing Bavuma (41 off 92 balls) was one of the turning points of Day 1.
It was an over-pitched delivery and Bavuma wanted to play the lofted drive over mid-off. The ball stopped on him and hit slightly higher part of the bat and never got the elevation required. Yashasvi Jaiswal pouched it smartly.
This was after his 84-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (49 off 112 balls) and South Africa were looking good to carry on with the momentum.
Following Bavuma's dismissal, Tristan Stubbs, playing his first innings of note in the series, also lost concentration.
It was a delivery from Kuldeep that was angled across Stubbs who wanted to play a non-existent steer as a practice catch went to KL Rahul at the first slip.
Stubbs did look good after some initial jitters as he used his big 6 feet 4 inch frame to come down the track, defend the deliveries based on length and attack when need be. Both his sixes off Kuldeep -- one over long-on and other over long-off -- were a result of picture-perfect footwork.
The two quick wickets resulted in a third as Wiaan Mulder (13) also repeated the mistake made by Bavuma. The bowler this time, though, was Kuldeep, who had tossed one up outside the off-stump, enticing him to go for an inside out drive over extra cover.
Once again there was no elevation and Jaiswal made no mistake as South Africa from a comfortable 166 for 2 slumped to 201 for 5.
At the fag end of the day, Mohammed Siraj produced a beauty where the ball deviated late to get Tony de Zorzi (28 off 59 balls) nick one to a diving Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
His was another case of a batter getting set and not converting the start.
While the pitch hasn't shown signs of wear and tear but it is occasionally troubling the batters which is par for the course.
After an under-prepared track that messed up things for India in the opening game in Kolkata, the Barsapara Stadium track remained firm while offering some lateral movement due to the underlying moisture in the first hour and half.
India removed South Africa's openers in the space of three deliveries on either side of the morning break, but the visitors displayed way more purpose on a better batting track to post 156 for 2 by lunch.
After Aiden Markram (38) found his defence breached off the final delivery of Jasprit Bumrah in the morning session, it was Kuldeep Yadav who picked Ryan Rickleton within two deliveries post resumption to set some panic among the Proteas ranks.
However, skipper Temba Bavuma (36 batting) was composed as usual and defending well. That also gave an initially shaky Tristan Stubbs (32) time to settle down and play some confident strokes in an unbroken stand of 74 for the third wicket.
For the spinners, there was some turn on offer but that could be termed as negligible and Stubbs, in particular, used his long strides to defend well.
Once he gained confidence, the right-hander lofted Kuldeep for a huge six over long-on and also pulled Bumrah (1/17 in 12 overs) through mid-wicket.
Bumrah, though, was the best bowler on view during the first two sessions where Indian bowlers didn't enjoy the kind of help that they received from an underprepared track at Eden Gardens.
Earlier, Bumrah reaped the rewards for a probing morning spell by removing Aiden Markram with the final delivery of the first session as South Africa reached 82 for 1 at tea.
India’s pace repeatedly asked questions to both Markram (38) and Ryan Rickleton (35 batting), who survived the opening six-over spell, largely due to K L Rahul dropping a regulation catch at second slip when the former was batting on six.
Just when it seemed that Proteas opening pair are firmly in control, Bumrah bowled a full delivery and Markram going for an expansive drive was castled all ends up.
Towards the end of the first session, a couple of deliveries from Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar did turn and jump but the better batting surface on offer did make the job of the openers way more easier.
There wasn't any sign of uneven bounce first up but Bumrah did make liberal use of the lateral movement that was on offer. Bumrah did challenge the outside edge of both Rickleton and Markram's bats, while Siraj repeatedly troubled the southpaw with his angular deliveries, which would pitch on middle and move away.
Bumrah hit Markram's pads with some sharp off-cutters making him uncomfortable. Then he got one to straighten which the Proteas vice-captain jabbed at and to his relief found KL Rahul spill a regulation chance. It was the seventh over of the innings and Markram was then batting on 6.
India skipper Rishabh Pant introduced Nitish Reddy at the stroke of drinks break and post break changed his ends. But his bowling at best was steady without being menacing. The 'in-out' field employed by Pant with three slips along with deep point and deep square leg made scoring easier for the openers.
Once the moisture dried up, Markram did play some flowing drives and the punch through covers off Reddy was among the best boundaries during the first session.
In case of Rickleton, he punished the deliveries from Siraj and Reddy which strayed down the leg-side.
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