Lungi Ngidi says Proteas expected more help from the pitch in Centurion

South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi revealed that the Proteas were expecting more assistance from the pitch on day one of the first Test against India.

It turned out to be a day of toil for the home side after Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first.

India’s openers set the tone with their first 100+ opening stand in South Africa in Test cricket since 2010.

At stumps India were 272 for 3 with KL Rahul still at the crease on 122 and Ajinkya Rahane looking dangerous with an unbeaten 40 to his name.

Ngidi took all three wickets to fall on the day finding joy by reverting to using the crease to create a troubling angle for the India batters but overall South Africa struggled to create chances.

Marco Jansen had Mayank Agarwal dropped on 35 and the debutant might have caught Rahul out off the bowling of Wiaan Mulder after lunch.

There weren’t a lot of deliveries that went past the bat and Ngidi stressed the need for South Africa to be more accurate on day two.

“To be honest we expected more from the pitch in the morning, I expected more swing, but it didn’t happen and then we had to change plans,” Ngidi said.

“You really have to be accurate with your lengths, if you’re too short it gives the batters time but if you’re too full they can drive easily.”

Ngidi got the initial breakthrough with a delivery that would spark some controversy but the quick felt that he got his man fair and square.

Agarwal felt aggrieved after South Africa’s review for a leg before appeal was ruled out, with some believing that hawkeye might have been out of whack given where the batter was struck and the ball’s apparent path.

However, Ngidi believes that the ball was keeping just a little low and felt confident that his appeal would be upheld on review despite Marais Erasmus initially giving it not out.

“I thought it kept a little bit lower than some of the other deliveries I bowled from that end, and Quinny (Quinton de Kock) said it would at least be an ‘umpire’s call’ (on review). It was another matter trying to convince Dean (Elgar), but we took a gamble and went for it, and I was right that it kept a bit low,” Ngidi said.

India look set to comfortably pass 400 in the first innings, something they failed to do on their last visit to South Africa.