Elgar spoils India party

Bangar insisted that the first Test match is very much in the balance after the home spinners sent two visiting team batsmen back in the pavillion at close of opening day’s play with South Africa scorecard reading 28 for two.

Ravichandran Ashwin (right) celebrating the wicket of Dean Elgar (centre) on day two of the Mohali Test.

He pocketed opener Elgar (37) and big fish Amla (43) and tailenders Dane Vilas (1) and Tahir (4) to add to the wicket of Stiaan van Zyl (5) he took on the first evening.

AB de Villiers (63) did play another brilliant knock under pressure – after being dismissed by Jadeja off a noball when he was on seven – but it was just not enough as the other players failed to apply themselves.

India, shot out for 201 in the first innings on a dusty, dry wicket, hit back to skittle the Proteas for 184 on the second day at the I.S. Bindra stadium.

Ashwin, who missed the last four ODIs after suffering a side strain in the opening ODI in Kanpur, will certainly be India’s trump card on what seems to be a turning PCA wicket and Kohli couldn’t agree more. It was only after watching repeated action replays that the third umpire Vineet Kulkarni declared that particular delivery a No Ball and recalled De Villiers to resume his innings.

He first had Amla stumped after deceiving him in the flight.

India continued to edge toward complete dominance of the first Test against South Africa. None of us goes to South Africa and says the wicket is green.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the destroyer-in-chief, taking his 13th five-wicket haul (5/51 in 24 overs) and reaching his 150th Test match dismissal in the process in only his 29th Test match.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn got appreciable movement early in windy conditions, but it was Philander who claimed the early breakthrough in his first over as left-hander Shikhar Dhawan edged to captain Hashim Amla at slip without scoring. An unfair criticism often made against Ashwin is that most of his wickets have come against left-handers.

Ashwin picked up 5/51, while fellow spinners Ravindra Jadeja took 3/55 and Amit Mishra helped team India with 2/55.

Murali Vijay (47) started off the proceedings for India with a couple of boundaries in the first over. Vernon Philander bagged his wicket for the second time in the match.

Indian side must be ruing the loss of captain Kohli.

India took charge of the remaining two sessions by claiming the remaining five wickets for 57 and building a good lead in their second essay.

South Africa’s star batsman had to largely curb his attacking instinct, though he did reach his 50 with a four off Jadeja, and it needed a delivery of great skill to finally oust him in the 67th over, Mishra’s quicker ball catching the off stump.