Sharma ton sets Proteas daunting task

Rohit Sharma scored his second century of the match to lead another dominant Indian batting display as they declared on 323-4 to set South Africa a victory target of 395 on the fourth day of the first test at the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

South Africa’s wretched day continued when first-innings centurion, Dean Elgar, was trapped lbw by Ravindra Jadeja for two as the tourists closed the day on 11-1 with Aiden Markram (3*) and Theunis de Bruyn (5*) at the crease.

“The batsmen need to trust their processes – you can get a good ball like I did in the first innings, but confidence is high after a really good batting performance by the boys in the first innings,” said Vernon Philander after the day’s play.

“The guys are in good spirits, it’s going to be quite a challenge but everyone is up for it.”

Rohit smashed 127 from just 149 balls which included ten fours and seven sixes which, together with the half dozen he hit during his first-innings 176, gave him 13 in total – the most by any batsman in a test.

Cheteshwar Pujara (81) batted through the afternoon session with Rohit to regain complete control of the match although in differing styles.

The muscular Rohit was in complete control at every stage smashing legside boundaries seemingly at will against the toiling South African spinners during a second-wicket partnership of 169.

MOMENTS OF FORTUNE

Pujara, however, made a cautious and wary start and survived three moments of fortune when Quinton de Kock missed a tough stumping chance and two edges off Kagiso Rabada away swingers flew between ‘keeper De Kock and Faf du Plessis at wide slip before he was trapped lbw by Vernon Philander.

Rohit was eventually stumped – for the second time in the match - by De Kock off the bowling of Keshav Maharaj (22-0-129-2). He had never been stumped before in his 28 test matches.

Jadeja was promoted to No 4 in pursuit of quick runs for the declaration and duly delivered with 40 from only 32 balls with three sixes before Kagiso Rabada earned a consolation lbw decision.

Ajinya Rahane (27*) and captain Virat Kohli (31*) added another 41 quick runs before a surprisingly conservative declaration.

Kohli’s decision to delay the declaration until long after most people believed the game was ‘safe’ for the home side surprised most observers and may have improved the tourists’ chances of emerging with a share of the spoils.

“It depends on how you look at it – there is plenty there for the spinners but then, we did bat 130 overs in the first innings. They had to make sure they had enough runs but, in saying that, no game is a safe game.

'WE NEED TO APPLY OURSELVES'

"It’s still a pretty good wicket, our batsmen look in good form and hopefully we can make a good start and set the game up for later in the day,” Philander said, apparently seriously, before offering a more realistic view.

“I think we’re in with a shout although they have played very well and have the runs on the board. We need to make sure we apply ourselves and bat out the day. Hopefully, we get close…”

“Dean played a great innings first time around and it was a blow to lose him but it creates an opportunity for someone else to put up their hand and bat deep into the last day, get a big hundred for the team,” Philander said.

“It’s not impossible to bat on this pitch – Rohit showed that with another good hundred, he played very well. We just need to make sure we get in and do the same.”

South Africa’s last two wickets added 46 runs in the morning session to take their total to 431 but India’s lead of 71 could yet be material to the result with the tourists facing the prospect of batting through the final day to save the game.

Debutant Senuran Muthusamy displayed a solid defensive technique and fighting spirit during his unbeaten 33 from 106 balls but Ravichandran Ashwin had Maharaj (9) caught at long on before trapping Rabada (15) lbw to finish with 7-145 from 46.2 overs.

The home side lost first innings double centurion Mayank Agarwal (7) when they batted again with Maharaj spinning a delivery enough to find the outside edge providing Du Plessis with a straightforward catch at slip.

Elgar (160) and De Kock (111) helped South Africa to reach 385-8 by the close of play on Friday but, despite more doughty resistance on the fourth morning, the tourists will struggle to save the test match on a rapidly deteriorating pitch.

Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Report Day 3

INDIA: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada