Indian bowlers were bowling in nice rhythm to South Africa in the second innings when unexpected showers ate almost an hour of play. The ball was swinging and R Ashwin was getting some turn then. When the play resumed, though, all of it was gone. The outfield had become wet and the ball too got damp, handicapping the Indian bowlers.
"Yeah, we were carrying a good momentum so we wanted to carry on," said Jasprit Bumrah, whose twin strikes had opened up the game for India. "It's okay, we never get too disappointed because there is still lot of play left in the match. We don't get too disheartened that this didn't happen. We wanted to carry on, but things didn't work out," he offered.
Indians weren't too happy with the condition of the ball after resumption and they made it clear to on-field umpires. "The ball was swinging a little bit but the field being wet, both sides of the ball got wet. The ball wasn't swinging anymore. So we asked the umpire ball is getting wet so what do we do. We wanted the ball to be dry so what do we do next."
Bumrah had high praise for the way Virat Kohli batted. "Virat's innings was very crucial for us and he brought us back into the game," Bumrah pointed out. "We lost a few early wickets yesterday as well, so he was playing an anchor role and till the end he was fighting with us. So, it was a very important innings and he has always done well wherever he has gone. So it was very important for us and it is good that the captain is leading from the front and taking responsibility."
South Africa's most successful bowler on the day, Morne Morkel (4/60), expressed his displeasure over the nature of the pitch and said the conditions were sub-continental than South African.
"Hundred percent (sub-continent). It's unheard of that a spinner bowls that amount of overs on the first day," Morkel said. "We even took the option to open in the over before lunch with a spinner (yesterday). There's a very subcontinental feel to it. Tough scoring, tough to get people out. Luckily, we've got some experience of that in the bank. But they are not the conditions that we want here in South Africa.
"I've played cricket here all my life, and I've never seen a wicket like this at the SuperSport Park. It was really hard work. In the heat, with conditions really tough, it was right up there with one of the hardest spells I've bowled," explained Morkel terming lack of pace in the wicket as the most frustrating aspect of bowling here.
"You've got a small little window with the new ball. I think the first hour in the mornings, the reason might be because it's under covers overnight, but in the first hour the ball seams a little bit quicker off the deck. But after that, there's actually been no pace in the wicket."
