The Karnataka duo of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal made sure India kick off South Africa tour on a bright note in Centurion. While Rahul registered his seventh Test century, Agarwal got a fifty. Besides, an underfire Ajinkya Rahane too answered his critics with the bat even as Virat Kohli scored a free-flowing 35 before his innings was cut short. All in all, it was a good day for visitors who were 272/3 when Stumps was called on Day 1.
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Kohli had won the toss and opted to bat. Openers had a field day as the Proteas bowlers kept on bowling at their fourth stump. While Rahul was happy to play second fiddle, Agarwal was the aggressor racing to his half-century, but losing his wicket soon after. In fact the DRS showed that Lungi Ngidi delivery would have gone past his off stump, but the umpire’s decision was reversed and he was given the marching orders leaving the batter and his fans bemused. Ngidi then removed Cheteshwar Pujara, who would have liked some runs in the middle, off the first ball, leaving India in some sort of stutter. Nonetheless, KL Rahul was joined by skipper Virat Kohli. Known as ‘King Kohli’ among his fans, he looked really good during his free-flowing 35 before it was cut short by Ngidi.
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Meanwhile, Rahul picked up the pace, stepping out to T Maharaj to enter the nineties. He lingered in the nervous nineties before bringing up his seventh Test ton which he will remember in years to come. In between, Ajinkya Rahane grabbed all the limelight as he made his way to a classy 40 off 81 balls. Last year on Boxing Day, he led India’s turnaround in MCG. This year, he punched, drove to answered his ctitics who were questioning his selection in the first place.
Earlier South Africa fought back with a couple of wickets in the afternoon session via Lungi Ngidi but India still controlled the proceedings by reaching 157 for two at tea on day one of the first Test here on Sunday. India scored 74 runs in the second session while Ngidi removed Mayank Agarwal (60 off 123) and Cheteshwar Pujara (0) off successive balls to provide the hosts much-needed breakthroughs.
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