Team India is in a commanding position after a fantastic Day 1 in the Kolkata Test against South Africa, and they have their pace duo to thank. The visitors were bundled out for just 159, thanks to a fiery spell from Jasprit Bumrah, who was perfectly supported by Mohammad Siraj.
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Jasprit Bumrah was the star of the show, proving why he's the spearhead of the attack. He ripped through the South African lineup to claim his 11th Test five-wicket haul. Bumrah finished with outstanding figures of 5/27, cleaning up the tail by taking the wickets of Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj to end the innings.
While Bumrah ran riot, Mohammad Siraj played a crucial role, chipping in with two wickets in one over to finish with figures of 2/47. After the day's play, Siraj shared the simple, yet deadly, advice he received from his senior partner, Jasprit "Jassi bhai" Bumrah. This philosophy seems to be the secret behind the team's success: focus on the basics, and the results will come. Siraj revealed the exact words from Bumrah, "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."
That simple plan clearly worked. India ended the day at 37/1, trailing by 122 runs. Siraj confirmed the team's confidence, stating, "We are in a good position having lost just one wicket... we did well to come back, and I think we're ahead of the match at the moment." India will look to put up a strong total on the board from here on.
