India’s premier pace bowler Bhuvneshar Kumar surprised everyone after he gave Team India a dream start in the first Test match of the three-match series at Cape Town on January 5.
Bhuvneshar, who is playing his first Test match in South Africa, picked up three wickets in his first three overs to reduce hosts to 12/3 after SA skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat.
Bhuvneshwar picked the wicket of opener Dean Elgar (0) on the third delivery of the first over of Day 1.
After bowling twice down the legs, the Meerut-born pacer pitched one around the off-stump forcing Elgar to nick behind for stumper Wriddhiman Saha to complete a regulation catch.
One over later, Bhuvneshwar struck again with a sharp inswinger that caught the other opener Aiden Markram (5) plumb in front.
Reduced to 7/2, in walked No.3 Hashim Amla (3), but his stay at the crease was also cut short by Bhuvneshwar with a good length delivery which the right-hander only managed to nick behind for Saha to complete the rest.
ALSO READ: Oops! South Africans hoist Indian flag upside down ahead of 1st Test in Cape Town, rectify later
Tottering at 12/3, De Villiers and du Plessis joined forces and the right-handed pair denied India any more inroads, with the former counter attacking Bhuvneshwar with four boundaries in an over to milk 17 runs.
Following Bhuvneshwar’s dream spell, Twitter exploded with congratulatory messages. From Virender Sehwag to Suresh Raina, senior players were all praises for Bhuvi’s fiery spell.
Here are a few tweets:
Wow! This is real. Khatarnaak sruff from Bhuvi. Hope we capitalise on this great start.#IndvSA
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 5, 2018
Bhuvi is on fire…but we need to get ABD quickly #SAvIND
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 5, 2018
A remarkable start for #TeamIndia as Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets his 3rd wicket and Amla has to go. #RSAvIND
— Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) January 5, 2018
A great spell of opening bowling by @BhuviOfficial. One of the most lethal ones I have seen of late. The first session undoubtedly belonged to #TeamIndia. C’mon boys, let’s get a few more 😉 #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/s9dILKEp23
— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) January 5, 2018
Meanwhile, the hosts are struggling at 156/5 on Day 1 of the first fast. The last one to depart was skipper du Plessis (62).
Besides Bhuvi, Hardik Pandya and debutant Jasprit Bumrah are the other two bowlers who have picked the wickets.
