India bowled out for 223 despite Virat Kohli's 79 on Day 1 of Cape Town Test

Indian captain Virat Kohli compiled a patient 79 off 201 balls but the visitors put up another shoddy show with the bat to fold for 223 on Day 1 of the deciding Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Batting first after winning the toss, India’s first innings lasted 77.3 overs as South Africa’s pacers dominated proceedings. Kohli hit 12 fours and a six during his defiant stay, while Cheteshwar Pujara scored 43. Among the others, only Rishabh Pant crossed the 20-run mark. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada starred with 4 for 73 while Marco Jansen impressed again, claiming 3 for 55.

Jasprit Bumrah gave India something to cheer about towards the end of a tough day’s play. He took out South African captain Dean Elgar (3) as the left-hander edged a probing delivery to first slip. The hosts went to Stumps at 17 for 1, with Aiden Markram unbeaten on 8 and nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj on 6.

Earlier, India found the going tough right from the start as KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were tested by South Africa’s fast bowlers. Agarwal could have been out without scoring but Keegan Petersen put down a tough chance at third slip off Rabada’s bowling in the third over of the day.

The Indian openers got through the first 10 overs unscathed and even managed a few boundaries, reaching 31. However, with Rabada and Duanne Olivier pegging away, it seemed only a matter of time before a wicket came. Following three consecutive maidens, Rahul perished to Olivier for 12, nicking a ball outside off stump. Agarwal (15) soon received a beauty from Rabada and edged a delivery that he was forced to play.

Following the loss of the openers, Pujara showed some aggression again even as Kohli was content rotating the strike. The experienced duo took India to Lunch at a decent 75 for 2. Pujara continued to look in good touch in the second session as well. Yet again, though, he failed to convert his start. On 43, he poked at one from Jansen and only managed to nick the left-arm seamer to the keeper.

Kohli the lone ranger as South Africa chip away

After a slow start, the Indian captain began to find his groove, hooking Rabada for a six immediately after being beaten outside off. The South African pacer soon struck at the other end, though, as Ajinkya Rahane (9) registered one more single-figure score in his kitty.

The struggling batter nicked one that straightened off the pitch, failing to get into a decent position as he closed the face of the bat. Following Rahane’s dismissal, another under-pressure batter, Pant, joined Kohli at the crease. The left-hander hung around and ensured India did not lose another wicket before Tea.

In the last session of the day, Kohli brought up a resilient fifty off 158 deliveries. He got to the mark by driving Olivier through the off side for four. Just as a partnership seemed to be building, Jansen struck by unsettling the Indian keeper-batter with extra bounce. Pant, batting on 27, tried to steer the pacer over gully but had no control over the stroke and ended up giving a simple catch. The Pant-Kohli stand was worth 51 but India needed a lot more.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as Ravichandran Ashwin (2) feathered one from Jansen that nipped away just enough. Following the loss of wickets, Kohli decided to take matters into his own hands and hit two gorgeous boundaries off Jansen.

Shardul Thakur came in and played a couple of typically attractive strokes. He brought up India’s 200 in style, slashing a short ball from Rabada over point for six. Unfortunately for the visitors, his stay at the crease did not last long. On 12, Thakur chipped a pitched-up delivery from Maharaj to short cover, where Petersen took a smart catch diving forward.

Rabada took out Bumrah (0) with a brutal short one that the clueless tailender could only fend towards the slips. Running out of partners, Kohli too perished to Rabada, poking at one outside off while moving around in the crease. Lungi Ngidi got his name in the wickets column by sending back Mohammed Shami for 7.

Although Bumrah struck early for India, the pacers will have to bowl out of their skins on Day 2 for the visitors to stay in the contest.