The Proteas slipped to a precarious 39-3 in reply to India’s hefty 502-7 declared on day two of the first Test at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Opener Aiden Markram had collected centuries for South Africa A and the Proteas against India A and the Indian Board President’s XI late last month, but couldn’t convert this fine form into success at Test-match level.
He was bowled by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who welcomed a first Test wicket since December 2018. Ashwin also removed the reverse-sweeping Theunis de Bruyn, whose shot selection will be heavily questioned.
Nightwatchman Dane Piedt then perished for a duck. Opener Dean Elgar will resume alongside vice-captain Temba Bavuma on Friday to attempt to further reduce a large 463-run deficit.
India’s first innings was built on the back of opener Mayank Agarwal’s double-century and a complementary ton from fellow right-hander Rohit Sharma.
Agarwal’s 215 spanned 371 deliveries and featured 23 fours and six sixes. The score was almost three times as much as his previous-best 77 against Australia in Sydney earlier this year.
Thursday’s opening session was highlighted by Sharma and Agarwal’s dominance, which was reminiscent of what Proteas pair Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla amassed against India in Nagpur nine years ago.
India: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada.
Photo: Gallo Images
