Mohammed Siraj warns India batters after bowling South Africa out for 159: 'Not easy to score runs'

Mohammad Siraj believes the pitch for the first Test between India and South Africa is not easy for batting after 11 wickets fell on the opening day of the match taking place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Jasprit Bumrah picked up a five-wicket haul as India bundled out South Africa for 159 before reaching 37/1 when an early stumps was taken due to bad light.

Ball keeping low, says Siraj

South Africa openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton propelled their side to a solid start as they raised a half-century stand within 10 overs. However, Bumrah then turned the tide with the wickets of both Markram and Rickelton.

Siraj said the new ball was coming on to the bat nicely while the older one was playing tricks.

“The new ball was coming on nicely to the bat, but when the ball went soft, the bounce became low as well. My mindset was to bowl full and at the stumps,” said Siraj who picked up two wickets.

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“There has been some reverse swing on offer, if you bowl stump-to-stump, you’ll get options to take wickets and it isn’t easy for batters to score runs. One end is fine to bat, the other end - the bounce is variable and it’s tough to score,” said the pacer assessing the pitch.

On the plan discussed with Bumrah, Siraj said: “Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket taking option was if you bowl at the stumps, you’ve LBW, bowled and even catches coming to play when the line is accurate.”

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The India pacer believes his team is ahead in the match after the opening day.

“We are in a good position having lost just one wicket, (earlier) Markram and Rickelton put on a good stand, we did well to comeback and I think we’re ahead of the match at the moment,” he concluded.

India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1

Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat but his team could only muster 159 in the first innings. Bumrah picked up a fifer while Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav finished with a couple of scalps each. Axar Patel also took a wicket. Highest scorer for the Proteas was Aiden Markram with 31.

India too found scoring tough and could only accumulate 37 runs in 20 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal dismissed for 12. KL Rahul (13*) and Washington Sundar (6*) were in the middle when bad light forced the end of the opening day.