The first Test match of the series between India and South Africa at Supersport Park in Centurion showcased an intense display of red-ball cricket. The South African pace attack, led by Temba Bavuma’s decision to bowl first on a challenging surface after winning the toss, posed a serious challenge to the star-studded Indian batting unit.
The home team’s pacers, having already dismissed the top-order Indian batsmen, maintained their aggression throughout. Shardul Thakur faced a tough moment when a bouncer from 23-year-old Gerald Coetzee struck him on the helmet in the 44th over.
Before this incident, Shardul was looking well in control. He had been hitting occasional boundaries for which he was in the team. Being a bowling all-rounder, and filling the void for Hardik Pandya, he is expected to add some crucial runs for his team as well.
Shardul did just that by adding a total of 24 runs from just 33 balls. When in his company, KL Rahul seemed to be breathing easy. However, the joy phase didn’t last long, as South Africa started targeting the batter with short balls.
Gerald Coetzee hits Shardul Thakur on Helmet
This incident led to a significant pause in the game as the Indian medical staff conducted a concussion test on Shardul. Visibly in pain, he received an ice pack on his head to alleviate the impact.
Shardul encountered another setback when he took a hit on the arm from Kagiso Rabada’s bowling. This prompted another interruption as Shardul received treatment, and his arm was bandaged. Unfortunately, his struggle continued, and he was dismissed on the next ball while attempting a shot over the cover fielder.
Rabada, the renowned South African pacer, completed a five-wicket haul by also claiming the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
KL Rahul Fights back for India
KL Rahu,l the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, remained undeterred by this barrage thrown his way by the Protean bowlers. After the dismissal of Thakur, he played a crucial partnership with Jasprit Bumrah for the 8th wicket in the game. Together, they added a total of 27 runs, in which Bumrah only contributed with just 1 run.
Rahul eventually went on to score a fantastic century for his side. He scored a magnificent 101 off 137 balls that saw India post a total of 245 in their first inning. If it wasn’t for his fighting knock, India wouldn’t have been able to cross the 200-run mark. In his fabulous inning, Rahul scored 14 fours and 4 sixes. He even smashed it out of the park to bring up his eight century in the longest format of the game.
It’s worth noting that Coetzee, who played a pivotal role in the match, was signed by the Mumbai Indians for Rs. 5 crore in the 2024 IPL auction. He had showcased his skills as one of South Africa’s standout performers in the 2023 World Cup and made his Test debut earlier in the year against the West Indies.
