Role change helps Kallis snare dangerous duo

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 15 (Reuters) Jacques Kallis said his changed role in the South African team helped him take important wickets on the first day of the first test against India today.

Kallis dismissed Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to send India, who won the toss and chose to bat, to stumps on 156 for five.

Dravid and Tendulkar shared a stand of 69 after India slumped to 14 for two.

''We went through a stage where we had a lot of attacking bowlers in the side and my role was to hold up an end and keep the scoring rate down,'' Kallis told a news conference.

''Now I can afford to be a little bit more aggressive and attacking.'' Kallis said the pitch offered assistance to the seam bowlers.

''There was a bit in the wicket, if you put the ball in the right areas you could let the rest take care of itself,'' he said.

Indian coach Greg Chappell praised captain Dravid's decision to bat first.

''It was a brave decision by Rahul, considering the pitch isn't easy to bat on and he's coming back from injury,'' he said.

Dravid is playing his first match since injuring a finger in the third one-day international in Cape Town on November 26.

South Africa's pace attack was weakened when fast bowler Dale Steyn left the field with a recurrence of a thigh strain after bowling 10.1 overs.

''During a match he probably increases his intensity by 10 percent, and that probably brought it on,'' South African team physiotherapist Shane Jabaar told a media conference. ''We'll see in the morning whether he will bowl again in this innings.'' REUTERS PDS KN2353