SA v IND, 1st Test: Rahul, Kohli take India to safety at tea despite Ngidi’s double strikes

Centurion, Dec 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) KL Rahul and Virat Kohli kept India ticking despite double strikes by Lungi Ngidi as the tourists reached 157/2 at tea on day one of the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park. South Africa improved on their performance in the wicketless first session but Rahul and Mayank Agarwal crossed a century stand for the opening wicket while reaching their respective half-centuries. With Rahul and Kohli still at the crease, India are in a very good position in the match.

The second session began with Agarwal reaching his half-century with a creamy drive through long-off off Marco Jansen. Jansen would come under further attack from Rahul, clipping through mid-wicket and outer edge flying through slip cordon as the Karnataka duo brought up the century of opening partnership, marking it the third hundred-plus opening stand for India in South Africa.

Rahul gained pace as he drove Wiaan Mulder twice through sweeper cover while Mayank tucked a short ball from Ngidi through fine leg. But on the next ball, Ngidi trapped Agarwal lbw with a delivery that came in from the back of a length and hit the pads after going past the inner edge. South Africa took the review and got to change the decision as ball-tracking showed hitting the top of leg-stump, ending I'dia's opening stand at 117.

One brought two for Ngidi as he bowled a fiery in-swinger which Cheteshwar Pujara inner-edged to his thigh and it lobbed to Keegan Petersen, running in from backward short leg. It was also the second time Pujara bagged a golden duck in his Test career. Coincidentally, both came at Centurion and had Ngidi involved (in 2018, he affected the run-out of Pujara).

Rahul brought up his 13th Test fifty with a nicely timed cover drive off Ngidi. Virat Kohli was off the mark by leaning into the cover drive off Jansen and followed it up with a clip through mid-on off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, looking in good touch. Rahul and Kohli kept the scoreboard ticking to ensure In'ia didn't lose a wicket till tea despite Mulder and Maharaj getting some assistance from the pitch.

Earlier, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal justified captain Kohli's decision to bat first with a careful yet solid opening stand as India reached 83/0 in 28 overs at lunch.

Brief scores: India 157/2 in 57 overs (KL Rahul 68 not out, Mayank Agarwal 60, Lungi Ngidi 2/35) against South Africa

Source: IANS