India's Mayank Agarwal, left, with teammate KL Rahul watch the electronic screen as the TV umpire reviews an LBW appeal by South Africa during the Test Cricket match between South Africa India at Centurion Park in Pretoria, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 1 Highlights: Opener K L Rahul produced a majestic knock in testing conditions en route to his sixth overseas century as India made a near perfect start to the Test series against South Africa, here on Sunday. Rahul (122 batting off 248), alongside opener partner Mayank Agarwal (60), set up a strong platform for India with a 117-run stand, enabling the visitors to reach 272 for three at stumps.
Skipper Virat Kohli (35 off 94) fell to a loose shot after doing all the hardwork while under-pressure Cheteshwar Pujara lasted only one ball. Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane (40 batting off 81), who like Pujara is fighting to save his place in the team, were in the middle at close of play. Rahane looked in a good touch and will be aiming for big score on day two.
Barring Lungi Ngidi, who took all the wickets to fall on the day, South Africa pacers were not probing enough in their line and lengths and offered too many loose balls.
India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa Playing XI: Dean Elgar (c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock(w), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
South Africa
197 (62.3) & 191 (68.0)India
327 (105.3) & 174 (50.3)India beat South Africa by 113 runs
The series, which starts from Sunday at Centurion, could either mark the final stretch of Kohli's ascent to immortality or the slow slope into the sunset. (File)
Opener K L Rahul produced a majestic knock in testing conditions en route to his sixth overseas century as India made a near perfect start to the Test series against South Africa, here on Sunday.
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And the day is over. What a day it has been for KL Rahul. India has comfortably won the day after a wobbly second session. Rahul and Rahane has taken control brilliantly. IND finish day at 272/3 at stumps.
Rabada gets hit for a 4 by Rahane. And another 4 to follow. Rahane in fine form. India cruising at 264/3.
India are looking in good touch as the day edges towards stumps. A four by Rahul to Rabada. New ball working for Rabada. That was lucky from Rahul.
And Rahul brings up his ton. What an innigs this has been. A boxing day 100 for KL Rahul. KL Rahul is the second Indian opening batsman to score a Test century in South Africa; the first being Wasim Jaffer's 116 in Cape Town in 2006/07.
And Rahane is continuing spraying fours. Sweetly timed. Driven to deep square leg. Rahul, meanwhile, is in the 90s for sometime now. Single and he goes up to 99. IND 233/3.
Rahane is a man on a mission. He is dealing with only boundaries at the moment. Another 4. He has already hit four 4s since he has come on to replace Kohli. IND 222/3 after 74 overs.
India reach 200 in style as Rahane creams the drive past the diving mid-off fielder. That will do a hell lot for his confidence. IND 203/3.
And gone!!! Ngidi gets his third as Virat Kohli walks. Full and way outside off and it was edged. Swishes at it and is taken at first slip.
Jansen replaces Maharaj who got hammered in his last over. 4 back to back dots. Good line. And a maiden as India remain at 199/2 after 68 overs.
Another great shot by Rahul. The pressure is easing on the Indians. Rahul pulls, hits it in the air but right in between mid-wicket and mid-on. And another one. This time it's a maximum. Uses his feet, gets to the pitch of the ball and hits it all the way over long-on.Rahul into the 90s.
And a great shot by Rahul to Rabada. Beautiful poise. Slapped forward for a 4. The next two balls yields 2 dots. IND 182/2 after 63 overs.
And another to Rabada. Kohli's cover drive is something special to witness when in full flow. Strides forward and creams it in front of square. There's a deep point in place but he had no chance of stopping that. IND 174/2 after 61 overs.
What a well timed shot by the skipper. Bavuma has no chance of chasing that. Flatter and sliding on for a 4. Great great timing. IND 166/2 after 60 overs.
So, we are back after Tea. India hope to build on that steady Kohli-KL partnership as Maharaj will start proceedings for South Africa. 1 run off this over. IND 158/2 after 58 overs.
A much better session for Proteas with the ball but India still in a very good position. KL and Mayank carried on the good work after lunch and raised only the second 100 opening stand in Centurion in 52 innings by visiting teams. Ngidi came on and then scalped Pujara and Mayank. KL at the other end carried on and raised his 13th Test fifty.
Great shot for a 4 by Rahul as tea break approaches. Flicked wide of mid-wicket. Mulder is bowling his line but Rahul is having none of it. And it's Tea. India are 157/2.
Indecisive shot from Rahul. Mulder almost gets the luck he deserves in this spell. Edged but falls just short of the fielder. Rahul is lucky. IND 147/2 after 53 overs.
After losing 2 quick wickets, India are slowly steadying the ship with Rahul and Kohli. South Africa will look to inflict more damage before the day is out. IND 142/2 after 50 overs.
The last Indian number three to be dismissed for a golden duck was also Pujara in 2018 at the same venue and interestingly, Ngidi was involved in that dismissal once again, but through a run-out that time.
One leads to two. Ngidi has struck twice in two deliveries as Pujara walks back. He is gone for a duck. Nicks one onto his pads and Peterson takes a good low catch. IND: 117/2 after 40.3 overs
First breakthrough for South Africa. A brilliant review from Dean Elgar as Mayank Agarwal's knock of 60 comes to an end. Lungi Ngidi gets the wicket.
A brilliant 100-run partnership comes up between Mayank and Rahul.
This is the third 100+ opening partnership for India in 21 Tests in South Africa
153 W Jaffer - D Karthik Cape Town 2006/07
137 G Gambhir - V Sehwag Centurion 2010/11
100* KL Rahul - M Agarwal Centurion 2021/22
A fantastic way to reach his sixth Test half-century and this is also his third 50+ score on the trot.
A wicket-less session for India as openers Mayank Agarwal and K L Rahul played with the required discipline in testing conditions to take India to 83 for no loss at lunch on day one of the first Test against South Africa on Sunday. India skipper Virat Kohi made a brave call to bat first on a greenish surface which is expected to get quicker as the game progresses. Both Rahul (29 batting off 84) and Agarwal (46 batting off 84), who are close friends and play for the same domestic team, left the ball well against a pace attack which did not bowl well enough in favourable conditions.
A perfect opening session for Team India! Mayank and Rahul have largely been untroubled, and have kept the scoreboard ticking over consistently as well. IND: 83/0 after 23 overs
Mayank moves into the 40s, with a superbly-timed boundary through the off-side. Good start by the Indian openers.
Indian Test opening pairs with a 50 stand in South Africa since 2000:
W Jaffer, D Karthik (2007)
G Gambhir, V Sehwag (2010)
M Agarwal, KL Rahul (2021)
Two expected events happened at the India’s pre-game press conference in South Africa. The absence of Virat Kohli and the ability of Rahul Dravid to wriggle out of a tight spot. In a departure from the conventions of pre-Test media interactions where the captain usually attends with the coach, Kohli chose not to attend.
Perhaps, because the last time he fronted up the media, he had had his say against Sourav Ganguly led BCCI over the way he was dethroned from the ODI captaincy, and since there has been no official response yet from the board, it would have been more of the same. Last time around, he was urging the media manager, who was intent on ending the conference, to carry on and read out questions from the chat window on the Zoom. (READ FULL STORY)
The openers bring up a superb half-century partnership! Mayank has struck two consecutive boundaries off Jansen again, to bring up the landmark. Outstanding start for team India. It's been a solid beginning from Mayank and Rahul at the crease so far. IND are 52/0 after 18 overs.
Until now, the Indian team has thrived on its Test captain’s stardom and batting brilliance. Winning has always been a team effort, but Team India didn’t mind their Test captain to take spotlight. Rahul Dravid’s cricket philosophy is different and true to that, the Indian team’s head coach presented a more holistic picture at the pre-match press conference, ahead of India’s first Test against South Africa that starts on Boxing Day. “The main aim is to win the Test series. We have the World Test Championship (points) to play for as well and Virat plays a key role in taking the Test team forward. He loves Test cricket,” Dravid said.
By his lofty standards, Kohli has been going through an elongated fallow period, his last Test century being scored more than two years ago. Kohli has played some very good knocks but consistency has been missing of late. Controversies ahead of the series have ostensibly put Kohli under extra pressure to perform, sort of ‘runs-or-ruins’ situation. (READ FULL STORY)
The first hour has been negotiated succesfully by the Indian openers. Terrific start to the tour, with Mayank and Rahul both looking set out in the middle. IND are 42/0 after 13 overs.
Marco Jansen's first over in international cricket hasn't gone to plan for him. Mayank picks him off for three boundaries in the over! The openers have looked secure in the first 10 overs of the day. IND are 32/0 after 10 overs.
What a shot! Rahul brings up his first boundary of the day with a delightful straight drive! He leans forward and off-drives to the left of mid-off. IND are 20/0 after 9 overs.
The Proteas cricket team and South Africa as a nation, mourn world renowned statesman, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu who passed away this morning. The teams had a moment of silence ahead of the start of the first Betway Test match against India. The Proteas are wearing black armbands in honour of Mr Tutu.
At the start of the match, South Africa took the knee. Indian players had hands on their chest.
Mayank drives Ngidi through the off-side for the first boundary of the day! It has been a watchful start so far from the Indian openers, though. IND are 8/0 after 4 overs.
KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal open for India. Kagiso Rabada opens the attack for South Africa. IND are 0/0 after 1 over.
India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa Playing XI: Dean Elgar (c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock(w), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
India have won the toss, opt to bat first against South Africa in Centurion as series begin!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Boxing Test. It is South Africa vs India, Day 1 of the first Test. We will be bringing you live updates, scores and highlights of all the cricket action, stay tuned.