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Pune, October 10
Opener Mayank Agarwal stamped his authority on a struggling South African attack with a second successive hundred as India cruised to 273/3 on the opening day of the second Test. Play was stopped in the 86th over due to fading light.
The 28-year-old Agarwal’s rich vein of form continued as he looked in complete command for his 108 off 195 balls, having made a sublime 215 in the series-opener in Visakhapatnam last week. The first day of the second Test panned out the way of the first Test as India, leading 1-0 in the series, looked to bat out the visitor on a good surface. Along with Cheteshwar Pujara (58), Agarwal added 138 runs for the second wicket with minimum fuss, despite India losing Rohit Sharma’s (14) wicket in the first hour itself. In the final session, skipper Virat Kohli (63*) completed yet another Test half-century and added 75 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket partnership with Ajinkya Rahane (18*). Kohli hit some flowing drives during the final hour and had 10 fours to his credit.
87 to 103
The highlight of the day, however, was Agarwal’s knock comprising 16 fours and two sixes. The opener raced to his second Test hundred in impressive fashion — he moved from 87 to 99 when he hit left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj down the ground for consecutive sixes in the 56th over of the day. Next over, he played an intentional back cut off Vernon Philander to complete the coveted milestone off 183 balls.
Agarwal got 74 runs off 18 balls in boundaries, while the remaining 34 runs came off 177 balls. Kagiso Rabada (3/48) hit better lengths during the course of the day and was easily the most potent bowler.
Edged, taken
Rabada got Rohit early with a beautiful delivery that pitched on a length and moved only a shade to kiss the outside edge of Rohit’s bat before going into wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s gloves. Rabada was unlucky to miss out on a second wicket — of Pujara — when Temba Bavuma, at short leg, missed a reflex catch. The batsman was yet to get off the mark at that stage. Rabada finally had Pujara caught at first slip, but not before the India No. 3 had scored his 22nd Test half-century. During the first hour, Agarwal was all caution against Philander and Rabada, who bowled a probing first spell. Agarwal was smart enough to wait for the third seamer, rookie Anrich Nortje, to be introduced into the attack. Nortje was guilty of bowling fuller deliveries at a drivable length outside the off-stump and finished the day with figures of 0/60 in 13 overs.
Driven out
Dale Steyn used Twitter to advise Nortje to “use that short leg”, meaning the bowler should bowl shorter. In one of his overs before lunch, Agarwal hit an off-drive followed by two cover drives. The moment Nortje pitched it short, Agarwal went back and across to play a couple of pull shots. Pujara began on a cautious note, and it was only after left-arm spinner Maharaj (0/89) was brought into the attack that the Saurashtra right-hander upped the ante.
In Maharaj’s very first over, Pujara used his feet to come to the pitch of the ball, hitting two elegant on-drives. A third on-drive also came along the way off Rabada’s bowling. — PTI
NUMBERS GAME
3 Innings into the series and Mayank Agarwal has notched up 330 runs and 2 tons at an average of 110.00
36 Of Agarwal’s 63 runs against pace came via the cover drive, the cut and the off drive
2ND Ton for Agarwal in the series after he notched up his maiden Test century (215) in the first innings of the first Test in Visakhapatnam
138 Runs added by Agarwal and Pujara for the second wicket after the early fall of Rohit Sharma. Virat Kohli then took over to stroll to a half-century
2ND Indian opener — Agarwal — after Virender Sehwag (2009-10) to score centuries against South Africa in back-to-back Tests. Rohit Sharma remains the only Indian opener to slam centuries in both innings of a Test against South Africa
16 Fours and 2 sixes for Agarwal en route his 108 before Kagiso Rabada induced an outside edge off the opener that was caught by Faf du Plessis in the slip cordon
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