India's star batsmen Virat Kohli (R) and Rohit Sharma | PTI

What went wrong for India in first test against South Africa

A South Africa collapse in the first session of the fourth day gave India a hope for a win in Cape Town, but the visitors too lost the plot in the next, eventually slumping to a 72-run loss.

A South Africa collapse in the first session of the fourth day gave India a hope for a win in Cape Town, but the visitors too lost the plot in the next, eventually slumping to a 72 run loss.Express takes a look at a few aspects that may have cost Kohli & Co the match...

Choose to lose?
Ajinkya Rahane may have been going through a rough patch but his technical proficiency was the middle-order salve India needed against South Africa’s pace, rather than a still-to-prove-himself-in-Tests Rohit Sharma. Also, the trampoline-like Newlands strip may have been exploited better by Ishant Sharma rather than Jasprit Bumrah, despite his second-essay brilliance.

Top to bottom
A top-order that had been churning out a good volume of runs was reduced to cinders by the host's pace battery. Vijay was unlike himself; Dhawan’s cement booted footwork was left exposed & Pujara’s usually-unbreakable concentration was disrupted by two corkers.

Who goes where?
The promotion of Ashwin ahead of Pandya during India’s first innings had left both fans and pundits perplexed. Not many would have expected the assault that the latter mounted, the move cost an already doddering India a wicket when the need of the hour was otherwise.

Second last
After conceding a 77-run lead, intensity should have been the keyword for India’s pacers. But, barring spurts of discomfort, Markram and Elgar got South Africa off to a brisk start. Though the visitors made amends on the Day 4, hosts’ batting vanguard had added 52.

Absolute power
On his day, he can swat away unplayable deliveries like annoying mosquitoes. On a 22-yard strip where batsmen were being left in a tangle every now and then, AB de Villiers’ indomitable counterpunching was what set up a winning platform for the Proteas.

SCOREBOARD

SA (1st innings): 286.
Ind (1st innings): 209.
SA (2nd innings, o/n 65/2): Rabada c Kohli b Shami 5, Amla c Sharma b Shami 4, De Villiers c Bhuvneshwar b Bumrah 35, Du Plessis c Saha b Bumrah 0, De Kock c Saha b Bumrah 8, Philander lbw Shami 0, Maharaj c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 15, Morkel c Saha b Bhuvneshwar 2, Steyn 0 n.o. Extras (w2) 2. Total (41.2 overs) 130. Fall of wickets: 3-66, 4-73, 5-82, 6-92, 7-95, 8-122, 9-130. Bowling: Bhuvneshwar 11-5-33-2, Bumrah 11.2-1-39-3, Shami 12-3-28-2, Pandya 6-0-27-2, Ashwin 1-0-3-0. India second innings: Vijay c De Villiers b Philander 13, Dhawan c sub (Morris) b Morkel 16, Pujara c De Kock b Morkel 4, Kohli lbw b Philander 28, Rohit b Philander 10, Saha lbw b Rabada 8, Pandya c De Villiers b Rabada 1, Ashwin c De Kock b Philander 37, Bhuvneshwar not out 13, Shami c Du Plessis b Philander 4, Bumrah c Du Plessis b Philander 0. Extras (lb1) 1. Total (42.4 overs) 135. Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-30, 3-39, 4-71, 5-76, 6-77, 7-82, 8-131, 9-135.

Bowling: Philander 15.4-4-42-6, Morkel 11-1-39-2, Rabada 12-2-41-2, Maharaj 4-1-12-0.