INDIAN BATTERS WERE PHENOMENAL: SOUTH AFRICA SPINNER DELMI TUCKER

NEW DELHI: South Africa spinner Delmi Tucker on Friday praised the Indian batters for their outstanding performance on the first day of the one-off Test, expressing hope that the Proteas can turn the situation around on Day 2.

India posted a colossal 525 for four, with Shafali Verma scoring a record-breaking 205 and her opening partner Smriti Mandhana contributing 149 runs to the total.

Tucker ended the day as the most successful bowler for South Africa, taking two wickets but conceding 141 runs.

"We will look back and refresh today, sit down and have discussions about tomorrow. Nothing taking away from their (Indian) batters today; they were phenomenal," news agency PTI quoted Tucker as saying in the post-day press conference.

Although the Proteas managed to keep Shafali silent during the preceding ODI series, as she managed only 52 runs in three outings, Tucker felt that the Test format gave the Indian ample time to settle down and find her range.

"It's a different format, and obviously, she (Shafali) has more time (to settle down). She gave her all and made the most of the opportunity since she is a great batter," said Tucker.

"Yes, we were a bit off from our lines (with the ball) and wish we could have been better. But, nothing to take away from her as she did (bat) really well."

The pitch was expected to favor spin, but that was not evident on the first day.

Misfields and overthrows further compounded South Africa's troubles.

Tucker admitted South Africa could not fully execute their strategies and that the city's hot weather also played a role.

"We did try a few things when Smriti and Verma were batting. We switched to around the wicket and changed the field. We were happy with it for some time, but they took it away," she acknowledged.

"We could have definitely been better on the field. Yeah, it's hot out there. Also, overthrows and misfields are not the best of things. But, staying positive and sharp could help in avoiding those misfields."

However, Tucker observed that the pitch had begun to offer some turn, which they hoped to capitalize on Day 2.

"We knew this wicket was going to be good for spin and there was early movement upfront. There was more spin after lunch and we need to take more advantage of it tomorrow," she said.

Explaining a significant challenge, Tucker pointed out that South Africa does not have a proper red-ball setup at home, with no multi-day competitions, making the transition to Test cricket tougher despite thorough preparation.

"We (SA Women) are still young (in) Test cricket, so we are still getting used to it. It's tough unlike T20s and ODIs, but we are still learning.

"I don't think we did too bad. We did our homework and we knew what was coming," she concluded.