Overview
- South Africa chose to bat and were held to 247/6 after multiple starts without a fifty, with Tristan Stubbs top‑scoring on 49 and Temba Bavuma making 41.
- Left‑arm wrist‑spinner Kuldeep Yadav took 3/48, removing Ryan Rickelton, Stubbs and Wiaan Mulder, with Stubbs noting he was beaten by the ball’s drift.
- Mohammed Siraj dismissed Tony de Zorzi late with the second new ball before bad light ended play with an over unfinished.
- Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the Barsapara track rewards discipline, added that this surface aligns with India’s template, and explained the Nitish Kumar Reddy selection over Axar Patel to preserve seam options.
- Rishabh Pant’s first day as Test captain drew scrutiny from Anil Kumble, who questioned leg‑side boundary riders early in the match as resembling an ODI field.