Such days happen in cricket, says a mighty pleased Rabada

Star batter Virat Kohli was covering the swing well although he played and missed often until one ball moved away late to send him back to the dressing room, a pleased as punch Kagiso Rabada said after getting his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

India were restricted to 208 for 8 in 59 overs by South Africa on a truncated first day of the opening Test at Supersport Park in Centurion on Tuesday, and the awkward bounce became the visiting team batters' undoing.

“It swung away late,” Rabada's smile said all about the delivery which deviated and took the outside edge of Kohli's bat even as the Indian tried to play for inswing.

“For some reason, most of the times he played and missed, he covered the channel. With him, you always need to be on. I was glad that I could get that fainty (faint edge),” Rabada said.   

There are days when the process that one follows gives immaculate results. Rabada had one this day.

“(Such) days happen in cricket. This was my day. Pretty happy with the way I bowled. India have quite a bit of experience and if anyone told us that it will be 208 for 8, we would have taken that before the game,” said Proteas pace spearhead.

He also praised KL Rahul's batting.     “His (stroke-making) options were good, he defended well, always someone stands out and he was that batter today,” he added.

The Proteas pacers bowled 65 deliveries on the leg-stump channel with a leg slip in place during the first session.

“The two left-armers were in attack and were swinging the ball in. It seemed like a tactic after lunch. It was Temba (Bavuma), who had a gut feel about how to get wicket and did feel logical to keep leg slip.

"We almost got Virat at square leg. After lunch, it was again a gut feel thing, after lunch, we changed tactics,” said Rabada.