Centurion, Dec 26: Vice-captain KL Rahul helped India reach 157/2 at tea on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa here at SuperSport Park on Boxing Day (Sunday).
While Rahul is on 68 not out, Virat Kohli is unbeaten on 19. For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi picked up two wickets – Mayank Agarwal (60) and Cheteshwar Pujara (0) – in the second session.
Mayank brought up his fifty off 89 deliveries, which marked his sixth half-century in the red-ball cricket. In no time, a no-ball led to India’s 100-run opening partnership as Kagiso Rabada overstepped.
Mayank and Rahul, both who represent Karnataka in domestics, went onto break Brijesh Patel and Syed Kirmani’s 116-run stand which they had made against New Zealand in 1976.
The India openers’ 117-run partnership finally ended when Ngidi struck for South Africa. The pacer appealed for leg-before and convinced his captain Dean Elgar to immediately review it. The ball tracking confirmed that ball clipped the top of leg stump, forcing Mayank to depart.
Ngidi got his second wicket on the next ball as Pujara got a thick inside edge and Keegan Petersen caught the batter at short leg. India captain Kohli walked in to face the hat-trick ball and decided to leave it.
Rahul brought up his 13th Test fifty off 127 balls. The vice-captain along with skipper kept ticking the score board and took India past the 150-run mark comfortably.
Earlier, after opting to bat first bat, India openers Mayank and Rahul beat the shine and bounce successfully and posted 83 for no loss in the first session. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, who was ruled out due to a hamstring injury, vice-captain Rahul took the strike.
Rabada and Lungi Ngidi kept the things tight in their opening spells but Mayank punched through the covers region to bring in India’s first boundary. Soon, when Rahul was on zero, South Africa half-heartedly reviewed for caught behind but it was turned down.
Debutant Marco Jansen was hit for three boundaries by Mayank in his first over. The left-arm fast bowler again conceded two back-to-back fours before creating a chance to take his maiden Test wicket. Mayank nicked the ball but wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock dropped, giving the Indian opener a life on 36.
