India 1-0 up after Shami, Jadeja skittle Proteas
"I have protected myself with a shield around me for a long time now and all those things outside does not come inside that shield. So what people think of me doesn’t really bother me, because eventually I have to play my game and I have to enjoy my game because it was my dream to play cricket. And I am living that dream."
ROHIT SHARMA, India opener
Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja took nine wickets between them as India outplayed South Africa, winning by 203 runs on the final day of the first Test on Sunday.
Set a daunting target of 395, the tourists were bundled out for 191 in the second session, giving India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Shami returned figures of 5-35 while Jadeja took four wickets to help current leaders India grab 40 points in the World Test Championship.
South Africa were staring down the barrel at 70-8 but Dane Piedt (56) and debutant Senuran Muthusamy (49 not out) put on 91 runs for the ninth wicket to frustrate the Indian bowlers briefly.
Shami got last man Kagiso Rabada caught behind for 18 to trigger celebrations in the Indian camp.
Sharma put India in a commanding position with a century in each innings on his debut as a Test opener -- a first by any batsman in Test history.
“Once you have 500 on the board, it’s difficult for the opposition. Mayank and Rohit played brilliantly,” India skipper Virat Kohli said.
Shami took three key wickets in the morning session including that of skipper Faf du Plessis for 13 to dim South Africa’s hopes of saving the game.
Jadeja soon joined forces to run through the middle order with three wickets in one over including that of overnight batsman Aiden Markram (39) with a one-handed return catch.
SIXES GALORE
The match also witnessed the most number of sixes -- 37 from four innings -- surpassing the 35 that were smashed in a game between Pakistan and New Zealand in 2014-15.
SCORES IN BRIEF
INDIA: First innings 502-7 declared and second innings 323 for 4 declared.
SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 431 and second innings 191 all out (Markram 39, Muthusamy 49 not out, Piedt 56; Jadeja 4-87, Shami 5-35)
Result: India won by 203 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Rohit Sharma.
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