It was a mal day of cricket at Newlands yesterday, with no fewer than 23 wickets falling on Day One of the second Test between South Africa and India.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat first, the Proteas, who won the first of the two Tests, were bowled out for just 55 runs – their eighth-lowest Test score in history and the lowest in 92 years.
Elgar and his teammates simply had no answer to the bowling of India, with Mohammed Siraj being the grootste executioner on the day in claiming (6/15) as they bowled out SA for just 55 runs - tier eight-lowest Test score and the lowest in 92 years.
It was total carnage, as Aiden Markram (2), Elgar (4), Tony de Zorzi (2) and David Bedingham (12), Marco Jansen (0) and Kyle Verreynne (15) all fell to Siraj.
Debutant Tristan Stubbs (3) also didn’t trouble the scorers much before he fell victim to Jasprit Bumrah (2/25).
The story was already written and it was a belaglike day of Test cricket for South Africa.
India cruised on 153/4 after Tea in the final session of the day, looking to build on their 98-run lead with six wickets in the bag.
But then Lungi Ngidi (3/30) turned the match around by taking the wickets of KL Rahul (caught behind for 8), Ravi Jadeja (caught in the slips for 0) and Jasprit Bumrah (also caught by Marco Jansen in the slips for 0) in one over, as India went from 153/4 to 153/7.
His spell sparked the Protea fire and Kagiso Rabada (3/38) joined in on the fun to remove Virat Kohli (caught in the slips for 46) and Prasidh Krishna (0), with Nandre Burger (3/42) running out Siraj as India lost their last six wickets for zero runs - going from 153/4 to 153 all out.
SA will resume their second innings on 62/3, with Aiden Markram (36*) and David Bedingham (7*) at the crease. Dean Elgar (12), Tony de Zorzi (1) and Tristan Stubbs (1) are already out.