Spinner Simon Harmer claimed a match haul of eight wickets to lead South Africa to a thrilling 30-run win over India inside three days of a low-scoring opening Test on Sunday.
India, without captain and leading batsman Shubman Gill who was ruled out because of a neck injury he suffered on Saturday, faltered in their chase of 124 to be bowled out for 93 in Kolkata.
Harmer, who had figures of 4-30 in the first Indian innings, struck key blows in the second session including getting Rishabh Pant caught and bowled for two to dent the opposition chase.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj struck twice in two balls to pack off India and trigger wild celebrations in the South African camp with the reigning world Test champions taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma hit a defiant 55 not out to lift his team’s second innings total to 153 after they slipped to 91-7 on day two.
“Very exciting, you want to be a part of those types of games and obviously be on the right side of the result,” Bavuma said.
“I think we tried to hold our ground as much as we could. We knew it was going to be tough with the bat, it was tough for us, but we needed to exploit what was there.”
South Africa, who beat Australia in the World Test Championship final in June at Lord’s, have lived up to their winners’ tag with a recent 1-1 draw in Pakistan and now beating India at their own game of spin.
Washington Sundar attempted to anchor India’s chase but fell to Aiden Markram’s off-spin for 31.
Axar Patel gave the crowd some cheer with his two sixes off Maharaj before the bowler had his revenge to send the batter caught out for 26 off 17 balls.
Left-arm quick Marco Jansen ripped out the Indian openers before lunch with the hosts effectively 10-3 in the absence of Gill, who is in hospital and “under observation”, at the break and Harmer soon took charge and returned figures of 4-21.
Wickets fell in clusters as Harmer, who was named player of the match, kept up the charge to send back Dhruv Jurel, Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in quick succession.
“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much,” said vice-captain Pant, who took charge of the team after Gill was forced out. “We should’ve been able to chase this score. The pressure built on us in the second innings and we weren’t able to capitalise.”
Earlier Bavuma played a defiant knock to keep South Africa in the hunt after they resumed on 93-7 on a tough pitch with inconsistent bounce.
He started the day on 29 and played with grit to complete the first half-century of a low-scoring contest.
Bavuma’s 44-run eighth-wicket stand with overnight partner Corbin Bosch frustrated the Indian bowlers until pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah broke through.
Bumrah bowled Bosch for 25 before Bavuma reached his fifty in 122 balls, raising his bat to an applauding dressing room.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj shattered Harmer’s stumps for seven and removed last man Maharaj for a duck in the space of four balls as Bavuma ran out of partners.
South Africa fought back on day two after being all out for 159 on Friday after winning the toss and electing to bat.
They dismissed India for 189 on Saturday to keep the deficit to 30 before again faltering in their batting. The second Test starts Saturday in Guwahati.