Proteas spinner George Linde relished four key wickets on debut, despite India’s dominance on day two of the third and final Test in Ranchi on Sunday.

Linde, who was a late addition to the squad and XI in the absence of the injured Keshav Maharaj, recorded figures of 4/133 in 31 overs. His haul included the dismissal of centurion Ajinkya Rahane, half-centurion Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha.

He also dismissed tail-ender Umesh Yadav, but not before conceding five sixes during a lower-order came of 31 from 10 deliveries.

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‘I didn’t expect to play Test cricket, well in this series. I obviously didn’t expect to come back to play the Test series,’ said Linde, who had been India with South Africa A before returning to play for the Proteas.

‘So when I got the call-up, I was quite nervous but luckily I had a few days to just settle and then today a few lessons to learn, especially there at the end. But if you’d told me I’ll take four wickets on my debut, I’ll take it any time of the year.’

The Cape Cobras left-armer’s third ball in Test cricket would have yielded a wicket, had short-leg fielder Zubayr Hamza not dropped a sharp catch offered by eventual double-centurion Rohit Sharma.

‘You know, those catches, they stick or they don’t. Unfortunately it wasn’t our day. It was Rohit’s. He played well so, well done to him,’ added Linde.

‘Bad start. Not the way we wanted it to go, but Monday is another day. We need to be positive, the guys are smiling in the changing room. So we are ready for Monday,’ concluded Linde.

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