Centurion [South Africa], Dec 26: Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul provided a steady start for India on the opening day of the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa here at the SuperSport Park on Sunday.
At Lunch on Day 1, India’s score read 83/0 with Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul at 46* and 29* respectively. For South Africa, no bowler was able to make a breakthrough at Centurion.
The hosts’ bowlers failed to make early inroads as they barely produced a chance in the first session. They bowled all kinds of lengths in the first session but none had any impact on visitors’ openers. Apart from Kagiso Rabada, no other bowler threatened the opening partnership of India.
With a 50-plus opening partnership, this is India’s first half-century opening stand in SA since December 2010 (Sehwag and Gambhir). Visitors’ had no 50-plus opening partnership in any of the Tests on their last two tours of South Africa.
For India, Mayank Agarwal has gone quicker in comparison to KL Rahul in terms of runs. After the 28 overs on the first morning of the opening Test, Agarwal is 46* off 84, while Rahul is 29* off 84.
Earlier, India skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first in the first Test of the three-match series. At the time of the toss, Kohli said: “We will bat first. Runs on the board playing away home have been our strength. The pitch tends to quicken up here on Day 2-3. Our success away from home started from the series we played here last time. A very challenging place to play.”
India have never won a Test series in South Africa and Kohli would look to create history on the Proteas turf.
Brief Scores: India 83/0 (Mayank Agarwal 46*, KL Rahul 29*; Kagiso Rabada 0-10) vs South Africa. (Agencies)
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