IND vs SA 1st Test: After Day 1, a full 90-over day wasn’t possible on Day 2 either. South Africa closed Day 2 at 256/5, taking 11 runs lead. Dean Elgar made the difference with a gritty century. He remained unbeaten on 140. Debutant David Bedingham scored 56 to add 131 runs with Elgar to nullify India any advantage despite Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bagging two wickets each. Earlier, India posted 245 runs in the first innings of Boxing Day Test in Centurion. But it was KL Rahul who led India to a competitive total in the innings having scored fine 101 off 137 deliveries. Virat Kohli scored a valuable 38 while Shreyas Iyer managed 31. It was Kagiso Rabada who rattled Indian batting order with 5/59. Nandre Burger ended up with 3/50.
The hosts will feel they have an upper hand on India if they manage to wrap things up quickly on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test. Their spearhead, Kagiso Rabada, led from the front, claiming five of the visitors’ eight wickets.
The Proteas are already struggling in the batting department, with their skipper Temba Bavuma potentially out of the match with a hamstring injury. If Rabada and co. fail to clean up the Indian tailenders quickly on Day 2, they might fall behind the game.
Brief Scores:
Day 1: IND 208/8 (KL Rahul 70*, Virat Kohli 38 ; Kagiso Rabada 5/44, Nandre Burge 2/50)
IND vs SA 1st Test: Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger
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