Kagiso Rabada rips heart out of India in second session

Kagiso Rabada ripped the heart out of the Indian middle order in a bruising and calculated post-lunch spell that eventually brought him a 14th Test five-wicket haul. 

The spearhead of South Africa’s attack dismissed kingpin Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Ashwin, leaving the visitors floundering at 121/6, 40 minutes into the session.

However, as was the case in the morning, India staged a fightback in the second half of the afternoon’s play, thanks to a 43-run partnership for the seventh wicket between KL Rahul and Shardul Thakur, before the latter was dismissed by Rabada for 24. India headed into tea on the opening day of the first Tests at SuperSport Park on 176/7, with Rahul on 39 and Jasprit Bumrah yet to score.

It was an inspired burst by Rabada from the West Lane End that gave the Proteas control after they’d handed India the initiative just before lunch after dropping both Kohli and Iyer, when they each had four.

The pair’s partnership of 68 was a source of comfort for the tourists, but Rabada immediately reasserted South Africa’s dominance from the first hour, when he nipped one back through Iyer’s defences, knocking back the off and middle stumps. Iyer had scored 31, a hard-grafting innings that still contained sufficient evidence of his great talent. 

Four overs later Rabada reeled in the big fish. It was an exquisite piece of fast bowling; set up with balls wider of off stump. Rabada then angled the last one in the over in towards Kohli, then had it dip away from the right-hander off the source, with the ball kissing the outside edge and giving Kyle Verreynne an easy catch.

Kohli had fought manfully for his 38, using every ounce of experience and skill, but he acknowledged the brilliance of Rabada in engineering his dismissal

By now it was apparent this was one of those spells Rabada has regularly produced in which, like a shark in the water that has smelt blood, he goes in for the kill.

Ashwin flayed at balls, was beaten by two away swingers before a bit of extra bounce from Rabada caught the top edge of the bat, with substitute fielder Wiaan Mulder holding onto good catch at third slip. 

Sadly for the rest of the attack, the quality was nowhere near what was produced by Rabada, whose figures at tea were 5/41 from 15 overs. Marco Jansen continues to look defeated as if he’s not shaken off his World Cup hangover, while Gerald Coetzee lacked consistency, and it was the same for debutant Nandre Burger, who did pick up two wickets in the first session.

Rabada returned 15 minutes before tea to dismiss Thakur, who drove to Dean Elgar in the covers to give Rabada his 14th Test “five-for”, which levels him with off-spinner Hugh Tayfield for the most by a South African bowler. Dale Steyn with 26 still leads the way in that category. 

There was worrying news for skipper Bavuma, who was sent for scans after pulling up injured while chasing a ball just before lunch. The Proteas management confirmed Bavuma had a left hamstring strain and that his continued participation in the first Test will be determined after undergoing daily medical evaluations.   

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