India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1: IND Top-Order Struggle In Morning Session

India vs South Africa: The Indian cricket team was off to a disastrous start in the morning session of the opening Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday (December 26), narrating the same old story.

At the end of the first session, India's scorecard read 91 for the loss of three wickets in 26 overs. Virat Kohli (33*) and Shreyas Iyer (31*) shared a stand of an unbeaten 67 for the fourth wicket and steered their team through the troubled waters as India were 24 for three in 11.1 overs.

Both Kohli and Iyer had their fair share of luck as they were given one reprieve each after Tony de Zorzi and Marco Jansen dropped sitters. Iyer and Kohli took their time in the middle and dealt with the Protea pace battery which was in no mood to calm down on the Centurion pitch, which traditionally has a lot to offer to the fast bowlers.

However, credit must also be given to Iyer and Kohli as the duo held their guard and weathered the storm brilliantly. Both the batters took their time but ensured those odd deliveries didn't go unpunished and constructed their partnerships well.

Put in to bat first after rain forced a little delay for the toss, Indian batters were tested by the Protea pacers from the word go, which was on expected lines. The top three Indian batters departed cheaply inside the first hour of the morning session and gave their opponents an upper hand.

India skipper Rohit Sharma - who is in action for the first time after the ODI World Cup 2023 final defeat against Australia at home - opened the batting with fellow Mumbaikar Yashasvi Jaiswal, the talented cricketer who is making the right noise at the top cricket.

Rohit was the first Indian wicket to perish when he was caught in the deep while trying to play a hook shot off the short-pitched bouncer from Kagiso Rabada. Rohit fell into the trap set up by the right-handed pace superstar and made his descent towards the pavilion for 5 off 14 balls.

Debutant Nandre Burger took the catch at the long leg to give his team a big breakthrough in the fifth over when the scoreboard read 13 for 1. Rohit - who is known for playing some outrageous pull and hook shots off short-pitched deliveries - couldn't resist the temptation of playing a hook early on in the innings and paid the price.

Later, Yashasvi Jaiswal (17) and Shubman Gill (2) were dismissed in quick successions off Burger and Kyle Verreyenne was the man who took the catch. While Jaiswal was dismissed playing an expansive drive, Gill found a faint edge off his glove towards his leg stumps.