Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja struck for the second time in the second innings with the help of wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant to dismiss Wiaan Mulder in the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The stand-in skipper, filling in for the absent Shubman Gill, took a sharp catch to leave the Proteas struggling on a tricky pitch on Saturday, November 15. South Africa found it difficult to keep up after coming into bat for their second innings.
Earlier in the day, the Indian bowlers had brought the visitors back into the game by bowling India out for 189, giving the visitors only a slender lead. However, the hosts responded well by breaking the initial resistance, taking their first wicket at the stroke of Tea, and then wreaking havoc in the third session.
South Africa were in trouble after losing both their opening batters. Jadeja added to their woes by dismissing Wiaan Mulder, who was looking relatively assured at the crease. Mulder had just scored a boundary off the veteran spinner in the previous over and seemed to be settling in.
In the third delivery of the 17th over, Mulder was undone by a delivery that had grip, turn, and bounce. The right-handed batter failed to react in time to the extra bounce, resulting in the ball hitting his glove. Pant took a sharp, reflex catch to complete the dismissal.
Mulder had also fallen victim to spin bowling in the first innings, trapped LBW by Kuldeep Yadav for 24 on Day 1 of the Test.
Ravindra Jadeja continued to rattle the South African top order in the second innings of the IND vs SA 2025 1st Test. Just a couple of deliveries after dismissing Mulder, Jadeja struck again, getting the wicket of Tony de Zorzi.
The left-handed batter had to depart after a soft dismissal, with extra bounce playing a key role once again. Dhruv Jurel took a simple catch at short leg to send de Zorzi back to the pavilion.
South Africa found themselves reduced to 40-4 after 17 overs, as the left-handed spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav dominated the proceedings.
At the time of writing, Tristan Stubbs and Temba Bavuma were hanging on, having built a slender lead of 24 runs.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-rishabh-pant-takes-stunning-catch-ravindra-jadeja-removes-wiaan-mulder-ind-vs-sa-2025-1st-test-watch
