Dubai: The first Test between India and South Africa in Kolkata ended abruptly inside three days, with the visitors clinching a memorable 30-run victory — their first win on Indian soil in 15 years. In a match where batters struggled and bowlers dictated terms from start to finish, India’s narrow defeat raised an important question: Did the hosts miss the experience and bite of Mohammed Shami? Low-scoring and fiercely competitive, the match underlined a simple truth — this was a bowler’s game from ball one. India’s pacers held their own, generating movement and maintaining pressure, but the attack lacked the incisive edge that someone like Shami naturally provides. His ability to produce...
