South Africa were struggling at 39/3 (at stumps) on Day 2 of the opening Test against India in Visakhapatnam on Thursday (October 3). R Ashwin took two wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja scalped one. Earlier, India declared their first innings at 502/7, built around Mayank Agarwal's (215) maiden double-century and Rohit Sharma's 176. Get highlights of India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 2 here (SCORECARD | CRICKET NEWS)
17:25 hrs IST: That's it. Thank you for joining us!
17:17 hrs IST: And it'll be stumps. South Africa (39/3) in all sorts of trouble. Another good day for Kohli's side -- Agarwal's double-century, Ashwin's two and Jadeja getting the better of the nightwatchman.
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17:11 hrs IST: OUT! Jadeja bowls this from wide of the crease, Piedt goes forward, hoping the ball would turn, but it goes through him and dislodges the middle stump. Temba Bavuma comes to the crease. South Africa are 34/3
17:06 hrs IST: OUT! Floated up from Ashwin, off stump region, De Bruyn looks to drive but gets an inside edge and Saha takes a wonderful catch. Dane Piedt comes to the crease. South Africa are 31/2
16:54 hrs IST: Another nice and tidy over from Shami. Get a feeling something is going to happen here. South Africa are 27/1. Elgar 18*, De Bruyn 4*
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16:49 hrs IST: Shami comes back into the attack. A couple of more wickets would put a lot of pressure on the visitors.
16:36 hrs IST: Ashwin strikes. Markram bowled (5 off 21). Beaten through bat and pad. Theunis de Bruyn is the new man in. South Africa are 18/1.
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16:32 hrs IST: Spin twins Ashwin and Jadeja operating in tandem. Markram hits his first boundary, off the first ball of the fifth over, to third man. South Africa are 14/0.
16:16 hrs IST: Extremely good over from Shami. It's a maiden! South Africa are 4/0. Elgar 4*, Markram 0*
16:12 hrs IST: FOUR! Full and wide from Ishant, and Elgar flicks this away to fine leg for his first boundary. South Africa are 4/0. Mohammed Shami comes into the attack.
16:07 hrs IST: Time for live action. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram are at the crease. Ishant Sharma to open the attack.
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15:57 hrs IST: That's it. India declare. 502/7. That gives them 20 overs. We'll be back with South Africa's first innings.
15:44 hrs IST: OUT! Straight to deep midwicket and Muthusamy does the rest. Saha departs for 21(13). He has done his job. First wicket for Piedt. Get a feeling India could declare as soon as they reach 500. Currently, the hosts are 494/7. R Ashwin comes to the crease.
15:38 hrs IST: FOUR! Another length ball from Maharaj, at middle stump, Saha gets down on one knee and sweeps it to the square leg boundary. India are 489/6. Jadeja 22*, Saha 17*
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15:31 hrs IST: SIX! Length delivery from Maharaj, Jadeja dances down the pitch and hammers it over the midwicket boundary for a maximum. India are 478/6. Jadeja 20*, Saha 8*
15:18 hrs IST: OUT! Flat length ball from Maharaj, outside off, Vihari comes down the track and looks to hit it inside out but doesn't get the timing and Elgar completes a neat catch at long off. Wriddhiman Saha comes to the crease. India are 457/6.
15:12 hrs IST: Another 20-30 runs and India would be looking to declare. Weather doesn't look promising for the next two days, and Ishant Sharma & Co would need maximum overs to take 20 wickets.
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15:02 hrs IST: Welcome back! We're ready for the third and final session.
14:42 hrs IST: That's tea. India 450/5. Another solid session for the hosts. With pitch expected to offer turn on the remaining three days, things don't look good for the Proteas. We'll be back in about 20 minutes.
14:27 hrs IST: OUT! A full toss from Dean Elgar, dipping on middle and leg, Agarwal looks to clear the leg-side but doesn't connect it well and Piedt at deep mid-wicket though takes a brilliant running catch to his right. End of a superb innings. 215 - 23 fours and six maximums. Hanuma Vihari comes to the crease. India are 436/5
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14:20 hrs IST: OUT! Rahane looks to drive on the off-side but all he could manage was a thin toe-end and Bavuma takes a nice catch at short cover. Second wicket for Maharaj. Ravindra Jadeja comes to the crease. India making their intentions clear. They want quick runs.
14:14 hrs IST: SIX! Full ball from Piedt, Agarwal comes forward and smashes this over mid-wicket for a maximum. Expensive over from the offspinner, 11 off it. India are 430/3. Agarwal 209*, Rahane 15*
14:07 hrs IST: ANOTHER LANDMARK - Fuller from Maharaj, and Agarwal pushes this to long off for a double and in process completes his double-century. What a knock! He has had a lot of tough times during his career and this moment would be satisfying. India are 419/3. Rahane 11*
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13:48 hrs IST: SIX! Slightly full from Maharaj, and Agarwal lofts this over long off for a maximum. Enters 190s. Turning out to be a magnificent innings from the Karnataka batsman. India are 406/3. Rahane 7*
13:44 hrs IST: FOUR! Short from Muthusamy, Agarwal rocks back and hits this to the deep midwicket region for a boundary. India are 399/3. Agarwal 186*, Rahane 7*
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13:24 hrs IST: OUT! This delivery stops a bit. Kohli, who was on the back foot to flick, checked the shot and got a leading edge and a simple catch for Muthusamy (bowler). Delight for him and his teammates congratulate him. Ajinkya Rahane comes to the crease. India are 381/3.
13:18 hrs IST: SIX! Full ball from Maharaj, on middle stump, Agarwal gets the front leg out of the way and smacks this straight down the ground for a maximum. Costly over from the South African, 10 off it. India are 377/2. Agarwal 171*, Kohli 20*
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13:10 hrs IST: FOUR! Overpitched from Rabada, outside off, and Kohli drives it to the wide of extra cover for a boundary. Sublime! India are 362/2. Agarwal 157*, Kohli 19*
13:01 hrs IST: FOUR! Length ball from Maharaj, outside off, Agarwal gets forward and sweeps this to the fine leg boundary. India are 358/2 after 100 overs. Agarwal 157*, Kohli 15*. Time for drinks!
12:52 hrs IST: FOUR! That's 150 for Agarwal. Short of a length delivery from Rabada, the India opener stays on his feet, and helps this to the fine leg boundary. Kohli congratulates him. Ideal opportunity for Agarwal to score a double ton here. India are 352/2.
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12:45 hrs IST: Eighteen runs and a wicket off the last 60 deliveries. India are 341/2. Agarwal 145*, Kohli 10*
STAT ATTACK - Rohit is the fourth player to hit six successive 50-plus scores in Tests played in India. His last six innings at home read: 82, 51*, 102*, 65, 50* and 176.
12:28 hrs IST: FOUR! Full ball from Philander, outside off, Kohli gets forward, opens the bat face and hits it between bowler and mid-off for his first boundary of the day. India are 332/2. Agarwal 142*, Kohli 4*
12:19 hrs IST: OUT! Beautiful outwsinger from Philander. Length ball, curving away from middle stump. Pujara (6) looks to defends, but the ball goes past the outside edge to shatter the stump. Good start for the Proteas post lunch. Virat Kohli comes to the crease. India are 324/2.
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12:14 hrs IST: Welcome back! We're ready to start. Can Agarwal hit a double-century?
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11:34 hrs IST: That's lunch. As has been the script, India have dominated again. Rohit and Mayank (138*) carried on from where they left on the opening day. 500 looks very much on the cards. Maharaj the only South African to get a wicket. We'll be back in about 30 minutes. Stay tuned!
11:21 hrs IST: Solid start from Philander. It's a maiden! India are 323/1. Agarwal 137*, Pujara 6*
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South Africa take the second new ball. Vernon Philander comes into the attack.
11:07 hrs IST: OUT! Tossed up by Maharaj, Rohit (176) looks to come forward to drive but is beaten by the turn and flight. De Kock to dislodge the bails quickly. Rohit is congratulated by his partner and some of South Africa's players. What a start as a Test opener! Cheteshwar Pujara comes to the crease. India are 317/1.
11:00 hrs IST: FOUR! Another flighted delivery from Piedt, on leg stump, Agarwal reverse sweeps it through point. Shot! India are 306/0. Rohit 166*, Agarwal 136*
10:55 hrs IST: Single and 300 up for India. Third best opening stand for them. Vinoo Mankad-Pankaj Roy 413 is at the top. The new ball is due but South Africa aren't going for it yet.
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10:44 hrs IST: SIX! Flighted delivery from Piedt, Agarwal comes down the track, and smashes this over mid-wicket for a maximum. Poor over from the offspinner, 11 off it. India are 285/0. Rohit 154*, Agarwal 128*
10:39 hrs IST: Single and that's 150 for Rohit. Short ball from Muthusamy, down leg, and the Indian pulls it to deep backward square. Brilliant! Piedt comes back into the attack.
10:31 hrs IST: This is the sixth 250+ opening stand for a debut pair in Tests. India are 264/0. Rohit 149*, Agarwal 112*. Drinks are on the field now. The Proteas in desperate need of a wicket here.
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DID YOU KNOW? Agarwal is the 86th Indian player to score a Test 100, and the 33rd Indian to cross the three-figure mark while opening the batting.
10:18 hrs IST: Thirty-five runs off the last 60 balls. India are 248/0. Rohit 140*, Agarwal 105*. The low bounce could be a characteristic feature of this game from here on.
10:07 hrs IST: Single and that's a maiden century for Agarwal. Takes his helmet off and everyone in the dressing room is applauding his effort. Reaches the landmark with a push to short third man's left. Have to say he has made a wonderful start to his Test career! India are 240/0.
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09:59 hrs IST: FOUR! Short of a length delivery from Maharaj, outside off, Agarwal waits on it and works it past the short third man. Moves to 98. India are 232/0. Rohit 131*
Highest opening partnership for India v SA -
219 M Agarwal - R Sharma (THIS MATCH)
218 V Sehwag - G Gambhir Kanpur 2004/05
09:48 hrs IST: FOUR! Length ball from Philander, and Rohit clips over mid-wicket for a boundary. Have seen him play that shot multiple times. Next ball, De Kock fails to grab the edge and the Mumbaikar gets a lifeline. This is not going well for the Proteas. Bowlers need support from the fielders. India are 219/0. Rohit 126*, Agarwal 90*
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09:37 hrs IST: Fine over from Maharaj. Has been accurate but hasn't quite got the rewards so far. India are 207/0. Rohit 119*, Agarwal 85*
09:34 hrs IST: FOUR! Poor delivery from Philander, on Rohit's pads, the Indian just helps it to the fine leg boundary. Easy pickings! India are 206/0. Rohit 119*, Agarwal 84*. Maharaj now
09:30 hrs IST: Time for live action. Philander has the ball in his hands. Rohit on strike.
09:25 hrs IST: Comfortable on the back foot and not afraid to play down the track, Rohit, on Day 1, saw out a difficult opening spell to bed himself in, with Agarwal also making South Africa's bowlers pay whenever they over-pitched.
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There was little respite in the afternoon session, Rohit accelerating with back-to-back sixes off Dane Piedt in the 50th over and even his most ardent critics were celebrating when he raised his bat to salute a century shortly after.
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09:00 hrs IST: The good news is that it isn't raining at the ground right now. It is overcast though.
DID YOU KNOW? Mayank Agarwal is now the seventh India player to hit 50-plus in his maiden innings in both home and away Tests. He scored 76 on his Test debut at the MCG in 2018 and 84* in the ongoing Test.
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STAT ATTACK - Rohit Sharma became the fourth India batsman to score a century in his maiden innings as an opener in Tests. The ones to do so before him are Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw.
08:23 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to Outlook's live coverage of the Day 2 of the opening Test between India and South Africa.
While South Africa bowlers did trouble the India openers on a few occasions in the first session, they seemed toothless in the second session where Rohit and Agarwal scored at a brisk rate.
Rohit, who got to his fifty before lunch, shifted gears and was particularly harsh on the spinners.
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He hammered off-spinner Dane Piedt for successive sixes over deep midwicket to get into the nineties before completing his fourth Test century with a single off debutant Senuran Muthusamy.
The entire dressing room, including skipper Virat Kohli, stood up to laud Rohit's feat.
Agarwal too looked assured at the crease and played his shots.
Early into the afternoon session, he brought up his fifty with a six over extra cover off Keshav Maharaj.
Clouds gathered over the stadium towards the end of the second session and thunderstorms forced the umpires to take the tea break eight minutes before scheduled time. No play was possible in the final session, giving Faf du Plessis and Co some respite.
