WATCH: Virat Kohli hints Mohammed Siraj where to bowl, the pacer follows and claims Marco Jansen to nab 5-fer

South Africa batters came and went as the Indian seamers did a demolition job on Day 1 of the Cape Town Test, removing the hosts for a mere 55 in the first innings.

Leading the slaughter was Mohammed Siraj, who produced the third best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in Tests in South Africa, finishing with 6/15 off his nine overs quota as the Proteas fell to the lowest total against India in Test cricket.

Amongst his wickets were Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Paul Verreynne and Marco Jansen. The left-arm South African quick, who’d notched up his best ever Test innings – 84* – in Centurion last week fell victim to a caught behind dismissal off Siraj. One that was hinted to the bowler by Virat Kohli from the first slip.

In the lead up to the wicket, the broadcast camera panned to Kohli in the cordon, who could be seen gesturing to Siraj, asking him to take the ball away from the right hander and try to induce an outside edge. Here’s the video:

After 15.2: Kohli asking Siraj to bowl an out swinger#siraj #jaiswal#INDvsSA #SAvsIND pic.twitter.com/SQGjoJlrlQ

— BlueGreen Planet (@BluesWaltair) January 3, 2024

As it happened, Siraj would dish it full and just outside the off stump to catch the faintest of nicks, which was collected behind comfortably by KL Rahul. A wicket that helped him complete his five-wicket haul on the day.

The spell on Wednesday, all nine overs on a trot, marked Siraj’s best figures in Test cricket. Ahead of him in the best bowling figures in South Africa are Shardul Thakur (7/61) and Harbhajan Singh (7/120).

• India vs South Africa Live Score, 2nd Test
• India’s simple new bowling plan: How Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah reduced South Africa to 15 for 4
• South Africa vs India: Can Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill step up during Cape Town Test?

Among other wicket takers for India were Jasprit Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar, who claimed two-a-piece.

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