With 6/15, Siraj stumps SA

"REMEMBER HOW WE batted against Australia and England," Rohit Sharma would remind in the immediate aftermath of the bruising at Centurion

- SRIRAM VEERA

He didn't place the bowling in that memory frame then - they too had leaked over 400 runs on a bowler-friendly surface - but they certainly reminded everyone, least of all the South African batsmen, what venom they are capable of. In particular, their top 2 - Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who pitched in new-ball spells that would stay in the mind for long as they wiped out South Africa for 55 in the first innings.

In the time to come, a highlights package might show a couple of spectacular kickers, but it was the underlying plan refreshingly simple and yet very cerebral - that should be cherished after the profligacy in Centurion. It had the remnants of India's 2021 triumph in Australia but with an attacking twist: attack the leg-side game of the two most successful lefthanders in the previous Test, and keep it simple to the righthanders.Against Australia, it was initially to test out the batsmen's strengths and patience (like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne's), keeping them tied with a packed on-side field. Here, they gunned for the lefthanders Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi with a more attacking approach to pursue a dismissal.