"Paying tribute to England" - Twitterati slam visitors as batting line-up collapses again in 1st India vs South Africa Test
Netizens came down heavily on Team India as the batting lineup undid the good work on Day 1 by collapsing on Day 2 in Centurion. India went from from 278-3 to 327-10 in the first innings of the first Test against South Africa, leaving Indian fans upset with the batting performance. .
The Proteas took the field on Wednesday with a revived spirit. Getting help from a quickened and tangibly bouncier track, they kept the Indian batters on their toes. Kagiso Rabada got rid of the best batter so far, KL Rahul, for 123 before Lungi Ngidi joined in by invoking a rash cut shot from Ajinkya Rahane on 48.
There were expectations from India's lower order of Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur to at least put up a fight.
But they, too, crumbled under the heat of tight body lines, spicy bouncers, and strict fields. None of the them scored in double digits, with the wicketkeeper-batter facing the most deliveries among them - 13.
Pant and Shami fell to Nigidi - who recorded a magnificent six-wicket haul in the process - while Thakur and Ashwin lost their wickets to Rabada.
Tellingly, the best knock of the lower-order came from pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who hit a couple of crisp, full-stretched drives on his way to a 17-ball 14. His former Mumbai Indians teammate, Marco Jansen got him out as his maiden Test wicket, to cap off the collapse.
Twitter reacted to the shoddy show with a variety of responses. Some related it to England's similar but top-order-concentrated collapse earlier in the day. Others expressed the delight of seeing India's pacers on the fiery wicket, while a few simply joined the fun with hilarious memes. The following are the best reactions:
Fantastic first hour for South Africa and they are back in this. Enough in the wicket for the Indian bowlers as well- the bounce! #INDvsSA
Proper collapse now!
India's batting collapse today😓
#INDvsSA https://t.co/kYMn5L2AAA
Almost every Test innings has a collapse these days. Change the venue. Change the teams. Change the colour of the ball. Same story everywhere…almost every time.
It's a collapse day in Test cricket, first at MCG and now at Centurion.
Swift clean up operation by SA’s quick bowlers. India’s astonishing collapse leaves them vulnerable. Finished at least 100 runs less than expected
@BCCI Pure collapse https://t.co/IiJtVaTKiw
Maybe they think staying at the crease will increase chances of a draw.
It is easy to critise the dramatic collapse on the 3rd day at #Centurion but I feel 327 is still a very good score in the first innings after winning the toss. https://t.co/MEzUW527jk
Phir se vohi collapse yaar 😭😭
#INDvsSA https://t.co/8W9sVllnpj
England batting collapse followed by Indian batting collapse, ft. Test cricket.
The 19 runs made By bunrah & Siraj is very valuable
7 wickets for 55 runs in 15 overs
Ngidi & Rabada were unplayable today
Shows how well KL Rahul,Mayank, Ajinkya Rahane & virat kohli played on Day 1
India's batting collapse after A washout is permanent now https://t.co/rs7kcTa5tP
At the start of play, the conversation at Centurion was all about when India would declare. And how quickly they could get the runs needed to give their bowlers time to pick 20 wickets. Instead, they have lost 5 wickets for 26. #INDvSA #SAvIND
You know how far #TeamIndia has come that you are more excited how the bowling attack will do on this quickened surface than the batting collapse....
Credit to India for paying tribute to England with this collapse of 30-6 #SAIND #Ashes
Rebuttals incoming from @MichaelVaughan 🙈 #INDvsSA
Indian Team collapse after rain 🥲
#INDvsSA https://t.co/6pGNvMgUGd
Indian fans, after witnessing an all too familiar collapse
#INDvsSA #SAvsIND https://t.co/Jdbvk2jfQk
Fir se collapse 🥲 #INDvsSA https://t.co/m0S29qLrgR
Match result is more important than personal milestone. Lord Shardul has once again put country first. We already lost a day. #SAvInd
With rain predicted on Day 5, I don't mind this Indian collapse at all.
310 all out gives them a better chance at a win than 330/5 at lunch.
Vikram Rathore and Rahul Dravid are not going to be pleased with shots this morning. India eight down now.
Vikram Rathour's work with these lower order bats absolutely priceless
Bumrah gets India off to a flier after batting collapse
Bumrah provided his team with just what they needed by dismissing South African captain Dean Elgar with a beautiful out-seaming delivery. He reduced the hosts to 2-1, setting up a riveting rest of Day 2.