Steyn packs India within 100 …

There could have been only one reason behind captain Anil Kumble's decision to bat first on a lively surface at the Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera here – that he could buy some more time to heal his own injury and be able to bowl. What he didn't consider though, was that his batsmen needed time too.

South African pacers Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel tore the hosts to shreds, all out for 76 runs inside the first session on Day One of the second Test on Thursday. India's innings lasted exactly 20 overs, the length of the forthcoming revolution in international cricket.

South Africa finished the first day on 223-4, ahead of India's total by 147 runs, with their fifth-wicket pair of Jacques Kallis (60) and AB de Villiers (59) unbeaten with a 106-run stand.

Indian Wickets :

The term 'dry' is often spoken in the same breath with the state of Gujarat. After 10 wickets fell in the opening session, leaving India dry of runs, it was the turn of the home bowlers to experience the same in the second session in terms of wickets, until S Sreesanth provided for their first respite with the wicket of Graeme Smith, just as South Africa eclipsed India's total to go into a lead.

That the Motera wicket did no such favour to the Indian pacers was evident from their figures. While the South African pace trio shared all 10 Indian wickets between them, Sreesanth was the lone wicket-taking pacer among the Indians. They were as unimaginative – you do tend to bang it in short once in a while, or perhaps glide a slower one just to upset the rhythm – as the batsmen lacked resolve.

Traditionally a spinning hotbed, the early morning moisture gave way to some turn in the third session as Harbhajan Singh bagged three wickets, two of them in an over. The 'Turbanator', who has looked a shadow of what his records reveal, had his last considerable success on this very venue two years ago.

So fast was India's collapse that South Africa had the time to play out an over before lunch. Steyn started the rot, inducing a rash drive from the otherwise composed Wasim Jaffer to be caught at slip for nine. Erratic strokeplay was as much the reason for India's collapse as was movement in the air, not so much off the pitch. After all, six batsmen out bowled does have a story to tell.

The soaring temperature here was a reflection of the kind of heat the Indian batting order was faced with, as Makhaya Ntini turned it on from the other end. Virender Sehwag, fresh from his hurricane knock of 319 in the first Test, wasn't required to hook as he played on for six, while VVS Laxman, promoted up the order in place of Tendulkar, departed to perhaps the ball of the innings, which clipped the bail after pitching almost a yard outside off.

Ntini took his third in the space of 12 balls to dismiss Sourav Ganguly for a duck while Steyn returned for his second spell to remove Rahul Dravid.

South Africa needed just three bowlers to do the job. Morne Morkel was introduced to the attack as he removed deputy Mahendra Singh Dhoni (14) and the captain, before Steyn polished off the tail to bag his eighth five-wicket haul to finish with figures of 5-23.

Irfan Pathan, who top-scored for the hosts with 21 not out, was the only change in the hosts' line-up, replacing Sachin Tendulkar, while South Africa fielded the same side that played out a draw against the Indians in the first Test in Chennai.

Teams:

India: Anil Kumble (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Wasim Jaffer, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Mark Boucher, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Paul Harris.