India all out for 93, humiliating three-day defeat at Eden

A roller-coaster Test match at Eden Gardens ended within just three days. Chasing a modest target of 124, India collapsed to 93 all out against South Africa’s spin attack. As a result, Pant and Bumrah’s side suffered a 30-run defeat, giving the current Test champions a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

South Africa started the day on Sunday at 93 for 7. Captain Temba Bavuma fought from the outset, building an important partnership with Corbin Bosch 25 to lift the team. Bavuma’s gritty innings ended with him unbeaten on 55 off 136 balls, taking the Proteas’ second innings to 153. After deducting India’s 30-run first-innings lead, the hosts were set a target of only 124. Ravindra Jadeja took 4 wickets for India, while Mohammad Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav claimed 2 each.

India began batting before lunch and the nightmare started early. In his first over, Marco Jansen dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal 0. In the second over, KL Rahul 1 also fell to him. With captain Shubman Gill off the field due to injury, the batting order was reshuffled. But the failures of Dhruv Jurel 13 and Rishabh Pant 2 pushed India into deeper trouble. Spinner Simon Harmer removed both, leaving India at 38 for 4.

Nightwatchman Washington Sundar tried to hold one end. Ravindra Jadeja 18 added a brief stand with him, but soon fell to Harmer’s turn. At 72 for 6, Axar Patel launched a counter-attack, scoring 26 off 17 balls with 2 sixes and 1 four. But once Keshav Maharaj dismissed him, India’s resistance collapsed. He removed Mohammad Siraj 0 the very next ball to put South Africa fully in control. Aiden Markram then removed Sundar for 31 off 92.

In the end, India were skittled for 93, losing by 30 runs. Simon Harmer claimed 4 wickets for South Africa, while Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj picked up 2 each.