SA vs Ind 1st Test, Day 2: Elgar, Markram take South Africa to 65-2 at stumps

Cape Town: India bounced back in style on Saturday as Hardik Pandya took two wickets during South Africa’s second innings on Day 2 of the first Test here on Saturday.

South Africa finished Day 2 at 65-2, with an overall lead of 142 runs.

Pandya was India’s performer of the day, as his contribution of 93 had earlier taken India to 209 in their first innings.

South Africa’s openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram started on a positive note, but the former departed for 34 just after helping the team go past 50 runs.

Pandya did no mistake in dismissing Dean Elgar, as a catch by Wriddhiman Saha meant that the hosts lost their second wicket.

South Africa 59-2 from 16.4 overs

WICKET! Hardik Pandya has struck again, as Wriddhiman Saa completes a good catch to dismiss Dean Elgar.

South Africa 52-1 from 15 overs

WICKET! The star of India's innings Hardik Pandya visitors the breakthrough, as he dismisses Aiden Markram for 34 runs.

South Africa 21-0 from 6 overs

Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram have got the hosts on a positive note, and currently have a 98-run lead on board.

India innings

India were bundled out for 209 runs on Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa here on Saturday, as the visitors fought back hard, thanks to Hardik Pandya’s knock.

South Africa now have a 77-run lead over the visitors, heading into the final overs on Day 2.

None of the batsmen got off to a consistent start, as wickets kept on haunting India at regular intervals.

Pandya was the lone warrior, as the visitors fought back hard.

The main highlight of India’s innings was a 99-run partnership between Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, after which the latter departed for 25.

Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets, while Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel took two wickets each.

India 199-9 from 69.1 overs

WICKET! Kagiso Rabada has got the crucial wicket of Hardik Pandya, who has departed for 93.

India 191-8 from 66.5 overs

WICKET! Morne Morkel provides South Africa the breakthrough as Quinton de Kock takes a good catch to dismiss Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Tea break report

Hardik Pandya played a fine knock of 81 as India looked to recover from the early blow in the second session during the first Test against South Africa on Day 2.

At tea break, India were 185-7, still 101 runs behind.

Resuming the action after lunch, Vernon Philander took the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin, as India’s nightmare in South Africa continued.

Wriddhiman Saha, too, departed without scoring, as India’s hopes for a comeback were in tatters.

However, Pandya came to the rescue as he played a confident innings, putting up a 93-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the other end.

India 131-7 from 51.3 overs

FIFTY! Hardik Pandya gets to his second Test half-century at a much-needed time. Will he lead India closer to South Africa's total?

India 92-7 from 41.4 overs

WICKET!Dale Steyn has joined the party, as he has removed Wriddhiman Saha. India, though, have avoided follow-on.

India 81-6 from 38.5 overs

WICKET! Philander does the trick again, as wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock takes a stunning catch to dismiss Ravichandran Ashwin for 12 runs.

India 76-5 from 36.1 overs

WICKET! Vernon Philander has struck just after lunch, as he successfully removes Cheteshwar Pujara for 26, as captain du Plessis completes the catch.

Lunch break report

South Africa dominated the first session on Day 2 of the first Test against India here on Saturday, taking one wicket and conceding just 48 runs.

At lunch on the second day, India had posted a total of 76 for 4.

The first four overs of the day ended in maiden overs, and it was only after that when the Indians opened their account for the day.

However, the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara was short-lived when the former was struck LBW by Kagiso Rabada, departing for just 11 runs.

In came Ravichandran Ashwin, who has so far put up a 19-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara.

India 57-4 from 28.2 overs

WICKET! Kagiso Rabada has removed Rohit Sharma, who departs after scoring just 11 runs. The Rohit-Pujara partnership has been broken.

India 53-3 from 27 overs

After a slow start, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara have taken the visitors past the 50-run mark. This partnership will be a crucial one for the visitors if they are to reach South Africa's total.

India 37/3 from 18 overs:

While there are no freebies on offer, Pujara and Rohit have looked solid and managed to deny South Africa any early success. India will want these two bat long and score big.

India 28-3 from 13 overs

Good start by the South African bowlers, as the duo of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander bowled two successive maiden overs at the start of Day 2.

Preview:

The onus will be on Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma and the lower middle-order as India, who are reduced to 28/3 by the trio of Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, target a comeback of sorts on Day two of the first South Africa versus India Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar started India’s South African campaign on a bright note, scalping three wickets in his first three overs on the opening day of the opening Test, AB de Villiers and skipper Faf du Plessis’ fifties and some crucial runs from the lower order guided the hosts to 286.

With 11 overs to handle till the close of play on Day 1 though, India’s good show with the ball was slightly undone as the South African pace-bowling trio sent Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli packing, leaving the visitors three-wicket down and trailing by 258 runs.

While South Africa will be looking to run through the Indian batting line-up on Saturday, India will look to bounce back in style.