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challenging target.
India lost and regained control of the first test Tuesday by bouncing back from a batting collapse of seven wickets for 55 runs to bowl South Africa out for 197 on the third day.
That gave Virat Kohli’s team a 130-run first-innings lead. It had stretched that to 146 by reaching 16-1 in its second innings at stumps on a day when 18 wickets fell — all to fast bowlers.
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Ngidi finished with 6-71 for his second-best test figures. His best were against India at Centurion in 2018.
Mohammed Shami followed that lead for India, with the seamer stepping up to take 5-44 and reach 200 test wickets. With Shami leading and Shardul Thakur (2-51) supporting, South Africa was dismissed for less than 200 to give India the ascendancy again, and India didn’t even feel the temporary loss to injury of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (2-16).
The depth and quality of India’s fast-bowling attack — which hasn’t always been the case — may be the defining factor in finally cracking South Africa.
Thakur underlined that by playing a crucial support role with his two wickets. He forced Quinton de Kock to play on for 34 to break a 72-run partnership with Bavuma and send back South Africa’s most dangerous player.
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