Johannesburg: Cheteshwar Pujara (3) and Ajinkya Rahane’s (0) saga of failures compounded a shoddy batting performance by India as they were dismissed for 202 in their first innings of the second Test against South Africa here Monday. Stand-in skipper KL Rahul (50, 133b, 9×4) impressed with a defiant show, but the rest did not capitalize on it.
Rahul’s patient half century on a day when India missed Virat Kohli due to back spasms and Ravichandran Ashwin’s cavalier 46 (50b, 6×4) at the rear end ensured that India got past the 200-mark in their first innings on a bouncy Wanderers track.
At stumps, Mohammed Shami sent back Aiden Markram even as Dean Elgar (11 batting) and Keegan Peterson (14 batting) took South Africa to 35 for one. It could have been two down had Rishabh Pant snapped Peterson off Jasprit Bumrah, which seemed a regulation catch. Worse, Mohammed Siraj hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring strain and if it’s bad news, then India would be left with four bowlers.
However, a lot of blame should go to India’s batters as some like Pujara didn’t show intent to score while others like Rahane seemed completely short of confidence.
It prompted the legendary Sunil Gavaskar to say on air, “I think the next innings will be their last chance.”
Having given up hopes to play for England, Duanne Olivier (3/64 in 17 overs), playing his first game for South Africa in three years, dismissed Pujara (3 off 33 balls) and Rahane (0) off successive deliveries to make it difficult for the Indians.
Marco Jansen (4/31), with his giant frame, created awkward lengths for every Indian batter while Kagiso Rabada (3/64), despite not being at his best, got wickets when it mattered.
Rahul concentrated hard during his innings. He was peppered with short balls. He would sway to some and duck the others while pulling the ones that he could. His back-foot driving was majestic and he rode the bounce while going for the flashy cut shots.
Such is beauty of sport that Rahul, who till five months ago wasn’t supposed to start as an opener in England, is now being groomed as an all-format India captain. If the first day composure is any indication, he won’t do a bad job.
But then there was a moment’s indiscretion when he played one pull shot too many and holed out in the fine leg region to Kagiso Rabada. Rahul had a nice little partnership of 42 runs with Hanuma Vihari (20) before an inspirational close-in catch from Rassie Van der Dussen at short leg sent the latter back.
Rishabh Pant (17) and an attacking Ashwin added 40 in quick time but what India needed was a partnership of at least 75 if not 100.
At the start, Mayank Agarwal (26) looked fluent in the first hour with five boundaries before Jansen pitched one in the spot from where it wasn’t on drivable length as it climbed on. The opener went for a drive only to edge that to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
But what would disappoint Pujara and Rahane most is that on a day when they should have taken more responsibility in Kohli’s absence, they couldn’t even inject a sense of positivity in India’s approach.
The manner in which Pujara hopped and skipped to rising deliveries actually would have made the dressing room feel jittery about demons in the pitch which wasn’t the case. But there was definitely seam and bounce which one expects here in South Africa. He once again got into a shell and was very uncomfortable against steep bounce which finally became his undoing.
Olivier’s natural back of length deliveries were perfect recipe for disaster as Pujara fended one that was wide of the short leg fielder but the next one lobbed up to the man at point for an easy catch.
Rahane’s dismissal was that of a player, whose confidence has been torn to pieces. The ball pitched on the fourth stump channel, created indecision on whether to play or not and Rahane dangled his bat for the catch to be taken in the slips.
Brief scores: India 202 all out (KL Rahul 50, Ravichandran Ashwin 46, Marco Jansen 4/31, Kagiso Rabada 3/64, Duanne Olivier 3/64); South Africa 36 for 1. Match to continue.