Rahul’s super 101 helps India’s tail wag, Elgar steadies Proteas’ reply

KL Rahul’s seventh Test century gave India a foothold at lunch on the second day of the opening Test against South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday. 

The Proteas were on 49/1 at the break after India had posted 245 all out earlier, thanks to Rahul’s superbly crafted innings of 101. Dean Elgar, who is captaining the side while Temba Bavuma continues treatment for a left hamstring strain, was not out on 29 while Tony de Zorzi was on 12.

Both did well to survive a tricky hour before the lunch break, with Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah producing several threatening deliveries. Siraj was the only one to make a breakthrough for India when he ended a brilliant over to Aiden Markram by finding the outside edge with an outswinger to dismiss the Proteas opener for five.

The 31-year-old Rahul is an unheralded figure in an Indian batting line-up laden with stars, but his work on the opening couple of days of this encounter shone brightly. 

He arrived at the crease at the start of Kagiso Rabada’s magnificent post-lunch spell on day one and while Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Ashwin all succumbed amid that whirlwind, Rahul survived and by stumps kept India in contention. 

Play started 25 minutes later than scheduled due to drizzle and the heavy cloud cover remained over the ground throughout the opening session. Accompanied by chilly temperatures, conditions were ideal for bowling, but again South Africa were wasteful. 

Rabada failed to add to his five wickets from day one, unable to find the consistency he achieved on Boxing Day. 

It was Rahul who stood out, carving Rabada over third man for four and pulling the same bowler over square leg for six to take him into the 90s. Before he reached his 100, his overnight partner, Mohammad Siraj, was dismissed by Gerald Coetzee, who landed a delivery in the right spot and got it to leave the right-hander with Kyle Verreynne holding onto a simple catch. 

Rahul, cheekily snuck a single with Verrynne dozing behind the stumps to get himself on strike against Coetzee and then bashed him over midwicket for six to reach his century, his first since a day one hundred at this ground two years ago, which helped set up an Indian win. 

This was another outstanding effort, in which Rahul balanced courage, care and aggression on a tricky surface and in conditions that were in the fast bowlers’ favour. 

He was eventually bowled by Nandre Burger for 101, an innings that lasted 201 minutes in which he faced 137 balls and struck 14 fours and four sixes. 

Rabada was the most successful of the South African bowlers, finishing with 5/59, while debutant Burger took 3/50.

South Africa will be disappointed with their performance with the ball. Rabada aside, they didn’t target the stumps enough and there were far too many easy boundary balls, either when they bowled wide of off-stump or when, in over-correcting, they bowled too full at the pads.