SA v IND 1st Test: Rahul and Kohli bring India safety at tea despite Ngidi’s double strike

Indias Centurion and Dec 26 : KL Rahul, Virat Kohli kept India going despite two strikes from Lungi Nyadi.

The tourists scored 157 points at tea on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park.

South Africas performance improved in the first wicketless session.Rahul and Mayank reached their half-centuries while Mayank Agarwal made a century stand.

India is in an excellent position with Kohli and Rahul still on the fieldAgarwal reached his half-century mark with a smooth drive through Marco Jansen.Rahul would further target Jansen, cutting through the midwicket, and flying through slip cordon to bring up the century-plus opening partnership.

This was the third stand of India in South Africa.Rahul picked up speed as he drove Wiaanmulder through sweeper coverage twice, while Mayank caught a ball from Ngidi in fine leg.Ngidi caught Agarwal with the second ball.The delivery came from the back end of a length, and it hit the pads just after the edge.South Africa won the review.

Ball-tracking revealed that the ball had hit the upper leg stump, thus ending Idia’s first stand of 117.Ngidi got two as one when he bowled an in-swinger that Cheteshwar Pujara inner edged to his leg.It landed at Keegan Petersen who was running backwards short leg.This was the second golden duck Pujara had won in Test cricket.Both came to Centurion, and both had Ngidi (in 2018 he was involved in the Pujara run-out).

Rahul celebrated his 13th Test fifty by hitting a well-timed cover drive on Ngidi.Virat Kohli was on the right track by leaning in Jansens cover drive and then followed that up with a mid-on clip off Keshav Maharaj (looking good).

Inia didnt lose any wickets until tea, thanks to Kohli and Mulder.Maharaj and Maharaj did get some help from the pitch.

Mayank Agarwal and Rahul had earlier justified Kohlis decision not to bowl first.India scored 83/0 after 28 overs.

Brief scores: India 157/2 in 57 overs (KL Rahul 68 not out, Mayank Agarwal 60, Lungi Ngidi 2/35) against South Africa nr/bs #Rahul #Kohli #India #safety #Ngidis #double #Cricket #BCCI #ICC #IPL #Sports.