(Cricket news) In response to India’s 245 in the first innings, South Africa was stabilized by Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi, while the hosts lost Aiden Markram. With a stunning century from KL Rahul on the second morning of the rally, the visitors now lead by 196 runs. Rahul resumed his opening-day role when play finally got began, having been delayed by precipitation on the first day. To indicate his intentions, he hit a late cut over the slip cordon off Kagiso Rabada and fetched a boundary off Gerald Coetzee.

Coetzee’s delivery was punished for being fuller down the ground before he hit a six off a length ball that he smoked on middle stump over deep square leg. After Coetzee found a razor-thin edge, South Africa then hit quickly at the other end to break Mohammad Siraj’s resolve. With five balls remaining in the over, rookie Prasidh Krishna took the ball against Coetzee, dashing Rahul’s hopes of scoring a century.

With a bit of luck, the wicketkeeper-batter was able to reach the striker’s end with a bye, smash the bowler for his fourth six and reach his century. After then, Nandre Burger made sure no more harm was done by slipping past Rahul’s defense to conclude India’s innings. After putting up a mediocre showing with the bat, the visitors got off to the perfect start with the ball.

With a brilliant delivery that moved away from the batter and took his outside through to the keeper, Mohammad Siraj bowled off. Elgar drove Siraj right down the ground, gaining confidence, and De Zorzi then struck with a boundary behind square. Elgar hit Prasidh for a couple of boundaries in an over just before the lunch break to ensure South Africa remained in charge. After 11 overs, Rohit Sharma made changes at both ends.

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