The most exciting Boxing day test match between India and South Africa which began on 26th Dec 2023 turned out to be bitter sweet experience for the Indian spectators round the globe as India beginning their conquest for the Final Frontier in the rainbow nation on a tottering Day 1 of game display.
In the conditions , after rain delayed start to the Day The Indian team were put in to bat after the hosts won the toss. In very helpful conditions on the pitch for South African bowlers, the Indian top-order gave way, with the visitors reeling at 24/3 at one stage. Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer fought back and took the score to 92, before Iyer was dismissed.
At the precarious situation at 24 for 3 , with the South African quicks especially star of the day Kagiso Rabada breathing fire with sheer pace and accuracy on the helpful pitch which assisted swing bowling, it was the need of hour for Indian middle order to stand tall and guide India to the respectable total in the first innings to give their bowlers to a decent chance to dismantle South Africa and who else then Indian Star batter Virat Kohli and the new sensation after brilliant World Cup 2023 , Shreyas Iyer to stand tall again and steer India to safety.
Cricket as it is described as game of partnerships has over the decades witnessed many match winning and match saving partnerships especially in Red ball cricket and South Africa being the toughest conditions to score runs freely as in other countries the value of a small 30 or 70 runs partnership is more valuable then a 100 or 200 runs partnership.
The 68 runs partnership between Virat and Iyer were the testament of characters shown against hostile fast bowling and a lesson to budding cricketers on how to handle pace on a low bouncy track where ball seems to move variably up and down. As India was reeling 24 for 3 and time for Lunch on Day 1 was more than an hour to go, Virat and Iyer understood the situation and handled the reviving partnership ball by ball.
Their commitment to every ball they played before Iyer got out bowled to a ball kept low by Kagiso Rabada, the chief wrecker was commendable to the fact that they respected every good delivery hurled at them , took the heavy body blows but equally maintained the run rate around 3.5 till lunch punishing all the loose balls on its way only to get out on the unplayable deliveries.
This approach by the Indian duo impressed all and former Indian cricketer now commentator Sanjay Manjrekar questioned the wayward bowling tactics of South Africans quicks after making India recover from a precarious situation of 24 for 3 to 92 runs.
“South African bowlers bowled a bit wayward”- Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer’s innings steering partnership on Day 1
Former Indian cricketer now commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels mistakes made by South African bowlers allowed Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to form a crucial partnership for India on Day 1 of the ongoing Test in Centurion on Tuesday.
The visitors were reeling at 24/3 when Kohli and Iyer got together and steadied the ship, adding 68 runs for the fourth wicket. However, Manjrekar believes the hosts allowed India to claw their way back into the game with some inconsistent bowling on offer from the hosts.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo after the end of play on Day 1, here’s what Sanjay Manjrekar had to say about the partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer
“Virat Kohli looked really good, really compact, and brought his experience to the fore. What worked for him and Shreyas Iyer was that the South African bowlers bowled a bit wayward and that helped the batters a bit. Iyer also showed the character to go for his shots and look to cash in on every run-scoring opportunity.”
With Day 2 promising to be the intriguing battle between bat and ball it would be interesting to see how far KL Rahul who is not out on 70 takes India far to a respectable total before the Indian pace attack being unleashed on South African batting.