Dusk descended swiftly on Eden Gardens. The light was so poor, irredeemable even for the floodlights, that the umpires rolled down the shutters of an all-action day shortly after the completion of the day’s 75th over. Soon after, the groundsmen in fluorescent green bibs rushed and draped the 22 yards of prime real estate at the heart of the action with white tarpaulin.

Both teams, by then, had boarded the bus to the hotel, wondering and reflecting about the space that would cast the longest shadow on the game. India would feel guardedly satisfied after bundling up South Africa for 159; the visitors would rue the toss advantage they squandered but would not feel utterly lost, for there is sufficient life on the surface yet to script a turnaround.

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