WATCH: Top of off beauty from Jasprit Bumrah leaves Rassie van der Dussen baffled
Just as South Africa were planning to finish Day 4 on top, Virat Kohli tossed the ball to his talisman Jasprit Bumrah and he produced a wicket against the run of play. This wasn’t the first time he did so, having produced similar exploits multiple times in England earlier this year when they faced the Three Lions and registered two stellar wins at Lord’s and Oval. In pursuit of winning their first-ever game in Centurion, this inswinger from Bumrah could prove to be pivotal.
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Bumrah set the wicket up beautifully, making Raasie van der Dussen play at each of his deliveries. He bowled a yorker, a short delivery and an outside-off full delivery of the first three balls. He followed it up with a length delivery pitched around the fifth stump line, one which the batter expected to leave comfortably, but it came in a long way and clipped the top of off-stump.
That wicket took a lot of burden off the Indian shoulders, who once again started breathing normally as South African skipper Dean Elgar and Van der Dussen were threatening to finish the day on a high. After dismissing him, Bumrah got another wicket in the final over of the day, where he castled night-watch Keshav Maharaj with two deliveries left before stumps.
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Here’s that moment of brilliance from Bumrah that opened the doors once again for India
What a beauty by Jassi…Bumrah……
Rassie van der#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/I8zRYylfec
— Pooja (@PoojaKavi8) December 29, 2021
India started day 4 with not a lot of runs on board, and after losing some early wickets, the intent from their batters was clear – to get as many runs as they could. Ajinkya Rahane propelled this attack by taking on the fast bowlers and playing some very attractive shots, and was supported well by Rishabh Pant, who got a pivotal run-a-ball 34.
Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah – A work of art, continually in progress
South Africa lost their opening wicket in the second over of the day, when Mohammed Shami once again knocked over Aiden Markram’s stumps. Keegan Petersen’s promising little stay didn’t last long and at the end of the day’s play, the hosts finished at 94/4, needing 211 more to win.