India suffered their third defeat in the ongoing edition of the World Test Championship WTC, losing to defending champions South Africa on Sunday, November 16, by 30 runs in the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Guwahati.
On a spin-friendly track, the Indian batters struggled to deal with the conditions as Simon Harmer, who bamboozled them with his subtle variations, finished with match figures of 8/51. The 36-year-old won the Player of the Match award for his remarkable bowling performance.
India suffered a major setback as captain Shubman Gill had to leave the field with a neck injury after facing just three balls in the first innings. He could play no further part in the Test match, as vice-captain Rishabh Pant took charge. It seems highly unlikely that Gill would be fit ahead of the second Test, which commences on Saturday, November 22.