It will be hard to say if Shubman Gill could have enjoyed a better day as captain as he had on the opening day of the four-day unofficial Test match against South Africa-A at the Sports Hub on Monday.
In the morning Gill won an important toss and invited the opposition to bat on a wicket which had sufficient grass on it.
His bowlers obliged and dismissed the visitors for 164 runs and at stumps Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 66 (108b, 9x4, 1x6) that saw India-A in commanding position at 129 for two.
Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj made the ball to zip around and within an hour, half of the South African batting line-up was back in the dressing room (22 for five).
Thakur in the first over prised out skipper Aiden Markram with a perfect delivery that pitched and seamed away to take the edge which was snapped up by 'keeper K.S. Bharat. Siraj accounted for other opener Pieter Malan in similar fashion to leave South Africa tottering at zero for two.
Thakur (three for 29) enjoyed the conditions and bowled with aggression and persistence. Only Dane Piedt, played fluently for his 33 runs until he played back to Goutham, showed the necessary temperament on the track which eased out as the sun came on.
The left handed Marco Jansen, who top scored with an unbeaten 45, attacked India-A spinners Gowtham and Shahbaz Nadeem to add useful runs with the tail.
Wayward
Lungi Ngidi and Lutho Sipamla were wayward with the new ball. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Gill were presented enough scoring opportunities early in their innings. Gaikwad and Gill quickly added 48 runs for the first wicket before Jansen bowled the former through the gate. Gill, who survived a chance on 39, added 58 runs for the second wicket with Ricky Bhui. But Ngidi in his second spell dismissed Bhui who played on. Gill crossed his 50 and played a few audacious strokes before close to send ominous signals to the visitors.
In the morning, K.Goutham passed the fitness test. Jalaj Saxena, who was a last minute inclusion in the squad as a cover for K. Gowtham, played as Anmolpreet Singh pulled out due to back spasm. Vijay Shankar who injured his thumb again during practice didn’t play as a precautionary measure.
The scores:
South Africa-A Ist innings: Aiden Markram c Bharat b Mohd Siraj 0, Pieter Malan c Bharat b Thakur 0, Zubayr Hamza b Nadeem 13, Khayelihle Zondo c Bharat b Thakur 6, Senuran Muthuswamy run out 12, Heinrich Klaasen c Nadeem b Thakur 0, Wiaan Mulder c Dube b Gowtham 21, Dane Piedt b Gowtham 33, Marco Jansen not out 45, Lutho Sipamla b Gowtham 9, Lungi Ngidi b Nadeem 15. Extras (b-4, lb-5, nb-1): 10; Total (all out in 51.5 overs) 164.
Fall of wickets: 0-1, 0-2, 3-18, 4-20, 5-22, 6-52, 7-70, 8-101, 9-131
India-A bowling: Siraj 9-4-20-1, Thakur 12-4-29-3, Nadeem 12.5-4-37-2, Gowtham 14-2-64-3, Shivam Dube 4-2-5-0.
India-A Ist innings: Ruturaj Gaikwad b Jansen 30, Shubman Gill (batting) 66, Ricky Bhui b Ngidi 26, Ankeet Bawane batting 6; Extras (lb-1): 1. Total (for two wkts. in 38 overs): 129.
Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-106.
South Africa-A bowling: Ngidi 6-2-18-1, Sipamla 6-1-23-0, Jansen 8-1-31-1, Piedt 10-1-39-0, Mulder 5-1-13-0, Senuran Muthuswamy 3-1-4-0.
Toss: India .
