Watch: ‘5 wickets in 11 seconds’ as Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar destroy South Africa, Rohit Sharma reacts; video viral
Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar swung new ball as South Africa were reduced to 9 for 5 - their lowest to score to lose the first five wickets and also the lowest score by any side to lose their top five against India in a T20I.
India pacers Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh made the new ball talk to South Africa in dire straits in the first T20I at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. After India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to put the visitors in, Chahar and Arshdeep utilised the grass on the pitch to the maximum to run through the South African top-order. Four of South Africa's top six batters were out for a duck - three of them dismissed off the first ball - as Chahar and Arshdeep displayed swing bowling to remember.
Chahar set up South Africa captain Temba Bavuma (0) beautifully in the first over. He bowled three out swingers and then got one to jag back into the right-hander to rattle his stumps.
Arshdeep, who is making a comeback after a breather, started off with a three-wicket over. The left-arm pacer got the big fish Quinton de Kock when he played one onto his stumps. The next two deliveries from Arshdeep were unplayable. He got one to move away from a fuller length to Rilee Rossouw and get the outside edge and then followed it up with an in-dipper to remove David Miller for a golden duck.
In the third over, Deepak Chahar got rid of the dangerous Tristian Stubbs for another first-ball duck when the right-hander got a top edge to third man.
Needless to say, captain Rohit Sharma was cocker hoop with the kind of show that his medium pacer produced.
Watch: Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh dismantle South Africa top-order with unplayable bowling
South Africa were reduced to 9 for 5 - their lowest to score to lose the first five wickets and also the lowest score by any side to lose their top five against India in a T20I.
South Africa only managed to score 30 for 5 in the powerplay.
Both Chahar and Arshdeep were not a part of India's XI in the Australia series. Chahar did not get to play a game due to Bhuvneshwar Kumar's presence while Arshdeep was not a part of the squad due to workload management. The duo shared the new ball as India had to make a host of changes. Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are not a part of the squad for these three matches against South Africa while Jasprit Bumrah was sidelined due to a niggle.