Strolling into cricketing sundown in one other 11 days, Dean Elgar displayed his understated brilliance with a counter-offensive hundred that not solely neutralised KL Rahul‘s superlative ton but additionally put South Africa in full command on the second day of the opening Take a look at in opposition to India on Wednesday. Taking part in his eighty fifth and penultimate Take a look at, left-handed Elgar (140 batting, 211 balls), not precisely recognized for his elegant stroke-play, stacked up his 14th Take a look at hundred and in addition took South Africa to 256 for five at stumps to offset India’s first innings complete of 245.
With debutant David Bedingham (56 off 87 balls), who hit a fluent half-century that included two huge pulled sixes, Elgar added 131 runs for the fourth wicket as India now must play a catching recreation.
The circumstances remained bowling pleasant as clouds hovered over all through the second day, nevertheless it was Mohamamed Shami’s absence and ineptitude of Shardul Thakur (0/57 in 12 overs) and lack of ability of debutant Prasidh Krishna (1/61 in 15 overs) that damage India dearly as they neither discovered the precise line nor the size on the day.
Jasprit Bumrah (2/48 in 16 overs), in his comeback Take a look at, gave his all and Mohammed Siraj (2/63 in 15 overs) was 200 p.c sincere in his effort however two could not have completed the job which required all 4 to sing from the identical hymn sheet.
Ravichandran Ashwin (0/19 in 8 overs) stored issues tight however this is not the pitch the place one can anticipate him to run by way of the opposition.
On the day, Indian bowlers have been hammered for 37 boundaries and two sixes.
In a rustic with megastars in batting like Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers, Elgar’s period was the one the place Proteas cricket was on the decline.
Elgar was by no means an alpha-male however somebody who has been a glue for this Take a look at crew over the previous decade.
He’s an area lad, who would unassumingly drive his sports activities automobile by way of the Supersports Park gate with not many individuals giving a second look, however will anticipate the entrance workplace girl to rearrange for the complimentary tickets as he will likely be showing at his house floor one final time.
If anybody cared to hear, he would inform the particular person casually that it would not make sense for him to proceed enjoying Take a look at cricket for the lure of 4 video games a 12 months when he’s already pushing 37.
Elgar shouldn’t be a patch on Brian Lara, David Gower or for that matter even Kumar Sangakkara, however there may be that Shivnarine Chanderpaul like grit. He is aware of get his job completed.
Elgar properly blended defence with a plethora of pulls and tucks off his legs and ferocious cuts. He left a number of deliveries in the course of the first half-hour and missed a number of earlier than Shardul and Prasidh performed into his arms.
By the point, Siraj castled Bedingham and Prasidh acquired his first Take a look at sufferer in Kyle Verreynne, India had misplaced the initiative.
Rahul’s greatest Take a look at knock
Within the morning, Rahul scored considered one of his most satisfying tons of in extraordinarily tough batting circumstances to take India to an above-par first innings rating.
Beginning the day unbeaten on 70, Rahul made an excellent hundred and the innings might properly be thought-about on par with a number of the greatest knocks performed by Indians in SENA international locations if the diploma of issue is taken into consideration.
No Take a look at batter from every other nation has been capable of rating two Take a look at tons of at this venue and Rahul now holds that distinctive report.
His innings had 14 boundaries and 4 sixes as he more often than not determined to experience the bounce fairly than get on prime of it en route his eighth Take a look at ton.
As somebody who was dropped earlier this 12 months in the course of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India on account of poor type, this was some comeback for Rahul the place he was actually the lone ranger.
Consistency has been the issue for the Bengaluru man however class has by no means been a difficulty as his vary is nearly as good as a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma.
The ramp shot off Kagiso Rabada (5/59 in 20 overs) was pure class whereas a fast bye run stolen off Gerald Coetzee to forestall a real No. 11 Prasidh from going through extra of the quick bowler was pragmatic.
Rahul acquired into the 90s with a smashing six as he picked Rabada’s size very early and dispatched him into sq. leg grass embankments.
The hundred got here when he slogged Coetzee into the ‘Cow Nook’ for his fourth and last most.
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