South Africa 65/2 at Stumps on Day 2, lead India by 142 runs: As it happened

South Africa may still hold the cards but Day 2 saw Hardik Pandya rescuing India with the bat before taking two crucial wickets

By: Express Web Desk | Updated: January 6, 2018 9:52 pm
Dean Elgar was the second to fall to Hardik Pandya. (Source: AP)

South Africa may still hold the cards on Day 2 but the name on everyone’s lips is that of Hardik Pandya. He came in when India when South Africa had seemingly sounded the death knell on their innings by forcing Cheteshwar Pujara into the mist un-Pujara kind of dismissals. But Pandya, alongwith unlikely fellow saviour with the bat Bhuvneshwar Kumar first doused the fiery South African pacers before launching the counter attack. Pandya ended up making 93 off 95 balls, Bhuvneshwar 25 off 86. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram then put up an opening partnership of more than 50 runs but Pandya was back. This time with the ball. He first got Markram but it was as much a mistake of the batsman as it was credit for the bowler. He then got Elgar to keep the match on the balance.

India vs South Africa 1st Test, Day 2 Highlights: 2132 hrs IST: STUMPS on Day 2, South Africa 65/2, lead India by 142 runs. A day tailor made for Hardik Pandya. He took India out of a rather embarrassing situation with the bat, seven runs short of an uincredible century. He then took the wickets of the two openers to keep the match alive and well at the end of this day.

2117 hrs IST: South Africa had brought in Kagiso Rabada as night watchman but now Hashim Amla does come out.

2114 hrs IST: OUT! Its Pandya again! Dean Elgar pokes at this one and nicks it to the Saha, Pandya has now cleaned up both openers

2106 hrs IST: GONE! Markram dismissed, Pandya gets the breakthrough, South Africa 52/1. Extraordinary shot that from Markram and Sunil Gavaskar says he will be “destroying” the dressing room when he gets back. Don’t now about that but Markram did throw away his wicket. Just short of good length and Markram takes it on, ends up with a rather botched up shot and that is caught Bhuvneshwar at point

2058 hrs IST: Shami had dropped Elgar off the very first ball that the South African faced

(Source: AP)

2053 hrs IST: No luck for India so far, South Africa are 39/0, leading India by 117 runs. The attack has changed hands and it is now Pandya and Shami who are raining it in. Shami has got close once or twice but the two openers remain strong, Elgar is on 9 off 39 while Markram has made 30 off 37

2049 hrs IST: South Africa’s lead now goes beyond the 100-run mark. 

2034 hrs IST: South Africa’s lead now on 99. Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah attacking in pairs but Elgar and Markram are holding strong. Unlike the Indian batsmen, they know where their off stump is and that is holding them in good stead

2020 hrs IST: But his innings did have a few low points, especially this one:

(Source: AP)

2016 hrs IST: This is an interesting stat: Hardik Pandya – 93 runs, 15 boundaries. Rest of India – 102 runs, 16 boundaries. 

(Source: Reuters)

2006 hrs IST: Big chance for India early on, Bumrah pitches one short to Elgar and he attempts to pull it over mid on, it balloons up in the air and Shami is chasing it, doesn’t get there. He may have got a hand to it, but can’t tell for sure

1952 hrs IST: GONE! Bumrah the last man to fall, India all out for 209, South Africa start their second innings with a 77-run lead. India may be behind but they have the momentum now. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya covered up for the faults of those that came before them. Pandya deserved a century but he can be proud of what he has done for his tea. If India get the kind of start they did yesterday, South Africa are going to be in for it.

1942 hrs IST: Bumrah pushes away a good length delivery from Rabada off his leg and it runs away to the boundary line. Takes one to the thigh after that and is caught at short leg but no bat

1940 hrs IST: Shami and Bumrah are in the middle, Rabada and Morkel vying for the last wicket of the innings.

1937 hrs IST: They are all decked up in the Indian dressing room. Meanwhile Bumrah gets his first run in Test cricket and that also brings up India’s 200. They trail South Africa by 86 runs now, if that matters.

1932 hrs IST: GONE! Pandya dismissed and the counter-attack ends. Rabada pitches this short, Pandya looking for a ramp over gully, ends up nicking it behind the wicket. An incredible innings comes to an end, Pandya c De Kock, b Rabada for 93 off 95 balls

1926 hrs IST: Pandya on 90 now. Ever the counter attacker, he has looked to pull Rabada a number of times right after Bhuvneshwar was dismissed. One such time he missed it and crashed on the no-fly zone of the male body. It did not hit him squarely on the spot, but he did feel that one. Shakes his head and gets on with it and manages to hit a boundary off Morkel in the next over to get to within 10 runs of a second Test century

1917 hrs IST: GONE! Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s stand has ended, nicks it to the keeper, Morkel the man with the wicket, end of a 99-run stand with Pandya. Bhuvneshwar made 25 off 86 balls

1908 hrs IST: Dale Steyn has gone off the pitch for a scan. Not good news at all for South Africa. Maharaj and Morkel in the attack currently for South Africa. Meanwhile India’s deficit has gone below 100

1857 hrs IST: Right, the players are back out on the pitch, how long can these two hold? And will Pandya be the first Indian centurion in South Africa this series ahead of all his illustrous seniors? Or will South Africa just get back into their sweeping mode and force India to take the field sooner than later? These are questions that will be answered in this session

1840 hrs IST: Tea at Newlands and that brings to an end a riveting session of Test cricket. India 185/7, trail South Africa by 101 runs, Pandya 81 (68), Bhuvneshwar 24 (65). One can only wonder what Dean Elgar must be feeling while sitting in front of his cuppa. He had dropped Pandya while the all-rounder was yet to get into his 20’s. He has since done to South Africa what AB De Villiers and later Quinton De Kock did to India. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has stood firmly by his side and, in many ways, his 34-ball zero has done as much for India as Pandya’s knock has. South Africa had wiped out the Indian top order in the final session of Day 1, it remains to be seem whether they can do the same to India’s lower order here, but Pandya and Bhuvneshwar have taken India right back into this game

1828 hrs IST: Big shout against Bhuvneshwar off the last ball of Steyn’s over, back of a length and climbing steeply, South Africans asking the umpire if it took an edge before landing into De Kock’s gloves. No, is the answer, the Proteas don’t go for the review

1825 hrs IST: Steyn in, but no luck for South Africa. Bowls a few quickies into Bhuvneshwar’s body and the latter fends them off well. He then sees the chance and places it perfectly through cover for four.

1818 hrs IST: Another jab at one pitched up outside off and somehow through the slips and races away to the boundary.

1816 hrs IST: Steyn back into the attack, Kumar facing and he pokes at a few balls outside off. It has to be noted Pandya made all his runs while Steyn had been taken off the attack. He has made 75 off 62, by the way

1814 hrs IST: Oooh a close one! Luck seems to be on Pandya’s side. He slams a six off the first ball bowled by Keshav Maharaj. He comes down the track for the second, misses it completely and would have been stumped but Quinton De Kock was unable to hold on to it. Pandya leaves the next and them slams the one after that for four

1810 hrs IST: And now Bhuvneshwar slams consecutive boundaries off Kagiso Rabada. India have themselves an unlikely counter attacking partnership – 61 off 79 balls between Pandya and Bhuvneshwar

1756 hrs IST: Pandya slaps Morkel for a boundary and that brings up his second Test half century. It has come off just 46 balls. It is the innings that India needed. Partnership between Pandya and Bhuvneshwar is now 39, all of which have been made by the former

1748 hrs IST: Pandya finishes off Morne Morkel’s over with a four. He seems to be better settled now, the early jitter has lessened and its place are steady hands and a confidence that we have come to associate with him in his performances in India.

1740 hrs IST: Hardik Pandya has tried to not be on the backfoot but still play the ball late. He has move ahead nicely. So far so good

1725 hrs IST: Hardik Pandya is now the highest run-scorer for India in this innings. He has reached there off just 26 balls. Completely opposite of how the other batsmen have batted

1715 hrs IST: This will be one of the toughest time for Hardik Pandya as a cricketer. Best bowlers in the world steaming in, ball moving in both directions, India struggling, tail to bat with. Pandya’s test in Test cricket

1708 hrs IST: WICKET! Wriddhiman Saha has to go and it is a lame dismissal. He shouldered his arms to Dale Steyn delivery that came back into him. That crashed into the off stump!

1700 hrs IST: India avoid the follow-on! This has to be one of the best Test that India have played in a while. South Africa given nothing easily

1655 hrs IST: WICKET! Quinton de Kock has pulled off an one-handed stunner to dismiss R Ashwin off Vernon Philander. Ashwin poking at a ball that is going wide and paying the price!

1648 hrs IST: BIG SHOUT! Hardik Pandya survives a shout of caught behind on review. The onfield umpire had given him out but he reviewed it immediately. The contact was with the thigh pad.

1645 hrs IST: Philander got the ball to move around 45 centimetres — the one which got Pujara out. He has been fantastic for South Africa and deserved that wicket!

1640 hrs IST: WICKET! First ball after Lunch and Pujara is gone. Top line from Philander. Outside off-stump, tempting the batsman to play at it and Pujara, who has left this kind of delivery throughout his innings, pokes at it. Faf du Plessis takes a good catch at slips.

1625 hrs IST: India still have a big task ahead. Ashwin and Pujara will be resuming the innings in a while but both need to keep going in the middle

1600 hrs IST: Lunch on Day 2 in Cape Town! India reach 76 for 4. They still trail South Africa by 212 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara unbeaten on 26. Fascinating session of Test cricket! 

1555 hrs IST: Pujara has been brilliant in what he has done today. No risks taken, left the balls which deserved to be left, has hit a couple of boundaries. Overall been terrific.

1544 hrs IST: 33 overs bowled in the Indian innings and they are 73 for the loss of four wickets. Dale Steyn is back with 15 minutes to go for Lunch

1535 hrs IST: Ashwin gets a four past the short-leg fielder. Played on the up and he has done well to play it away from the fielder

1525 hrs IST: R Ashwin is the new man in for India and South Africa test him with a series of bounces. Ashwin manages to keep them away. But won’t like this at all

1519 hrs IST: WICKET! Rohit Sharma has been adjudged LBW off Rabada. The ball shaped into the right-hander and the umpire had no doubt in his mind. Pujara and Rohit discussing if to review this. It is fair delivery. Ball is hitting Rohit’s pads inside the line and will go on to hit the middle stumps. India lose a review and wicket

1510 hrs IST: Some runs for India. Couple of loose deliveries from South Africa which have fetched boundaries for India.

1455 hrs IST: One hour of play done in Cape Town and India have done well to not lose any wicket. So many chances for South Africa but luck on India’s favour!

1437 hrs IST: South Africa have put the two Indian batsmen under pressure with some good bowling but credit to both Pujara and Rohit for securing the early momentum

1427 hrs IST: Rohit Sharma gets a bouncer from Morne Morkel and manages to play it down the leg side. Two runs for him. First of day two

Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander are firing at the two Indian batsmen. Rohit and Pujara have somehow survived. Rohit is yet to score a run

1421 hrs IST: First runs of the day for India. Pujara pushes one between point and cover and runs two on misfield. India off the mark on day two

1420 hrs IST: Four overs into the day’s play and India are yet to score any runs. Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn with two maidens each. India 28 for 3

1404 hrs IST: Maiden over to start with from Dale Steyn. A couple of beauties from him to Rohit Sharma. Vernon Philander to bowl from the other end to Pujara

1400 hrs IST: Pujara and Rohit out in the middle to begin the second day’s play in Cape Town. India resume at 28 for 3

1355 hrs IST: There is still grass on the Newlands pitch and it will be testing times for Pujara and Rohit when the come out to bat in a while

1335 hrs IST: Less than half an hour remaining for the start of play in the Cape Town. India need to score some runs but more importantly, India need to keep wickets

1320 hrs IST: India will hope that Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma to continue the partnership. India are still trail by 258 runs so these two need to rebuild the Indian innings

1300 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to our live blog on South Africa vs India, 1st Test Day 2 in Cape Town. After a thriller of a day on Friday, Saturday promises to pack an exciting punch. We will give you live updates on the proceedings of the day here. Stay tuned.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock †, AB de Villiers †, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, AK Markram Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn

India: Virat Kohli (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha †, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay

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