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Double-ton for Rohit before India rock Proteas openers
A sixth test century - and maiden double – for Rohit Sharma saw India pile on the agony for South Africa’s bowlers as they declared on 497-9 at tea before reducing the tourists to 9-2 by the close of the second day of the third test at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday.
Rohit reached 212 from only 255 deliveries with 28 fours and half a dozen sixes before top-edging a hook to fine leg against Kagiso Rabada where Lungi Ngidi took the catch. Rohit reached both his century and double with sixes, a hook shot against Ngidi sailing over square leg to take him to 200.
Left-arm spinner George Linde collected two more wickets in the middle session to finish with 4-133 but also suffered a humiliating assault by No 9 Umesh Yadav who smashed him for five sixes in just nine balls before top-edging the bowler to ‘keeper Heinrich Klaasen and departing for 31 from just 10 deliveries.
Linde also bowled Wriddhiman Saha with an excellent arm ball and there was a consolation wicket for offspinner Dane Piedt who had Ravi Ashwin stumped for 14 to finish with 1-101 from 18 overs.
Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the attack with 23-7-85-3.
“I didn’t expect to play test cricket this year so I was a bit nervous when I got the call. I learned a few lessons today, especially at the end there but, if you told me I’d take four wickets on debut I’d take it any day of the year,” Linde said after the day's play.
“Consistency is very important, obviously…before the test we said ‘don’t get it wrong on the leg side, they’re very good off their legs.’ I was better today and I think it worked. I talked to Faf last night about trying to get closer to the stumps and bowl a middle and off line.
“Rohit played very well, he gave us that one, tough chance but after that there was nothing. He played really well.
'WE ARE READY FOR TOMORROW'
“Losing two wickets before the close wasn’t what we wanted but tomorrow is another day. We are positive and guys are smiling in the change room, we are ready for tomorrow. We aren’t going to sit back and relax, we’re going to step forward and try to take the challenge on,” Linde promised.
“We lacked a bit of consistency with the ball, it’s not easy bowling in India. We needed to be a bit straighter. In South Africa we can go a bit wider because there is extra bounce but not here. We need to be more consistent…”
The tourists claimed just a single wicket in the morning session when Linde was fortunate to find the edge of Ajinkya Rahane’s bat attempting a late cut. The right-hander departed for 115 from 192 balls (17x4, 1x6) after a fourth-wicket stand of 267.
Although all of South Africa’s bowlers suffered and looked inadequate Piedt was treated with a special level of disdain by Rohit in particular, although he should have had Rohit stumped on 176 but Klaasen fumbled the attempt.
Rohit’s 212 was the third Indian double-century of the series following Mayank Agarwal (215) in the first test and Virat Kohli (254*) in the second.
South Africa desperately needed a solid start but lost both openers in similar fashion in the five overs which were possible before bad light ended play early.
Quinton de Kock (4) gloved a lifting delivery from Yadav down the leg side to ‘keeper Saha and Dean Elgar (0) could not evade another short ball from Mohammad Shami and also gloved it to Saha.
Zubayr Hamza (0*) and captain Faf du Plessis (1*) will resume on the third morning with yet another mountain to climb.
INDIA: Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock, Zubayr Hamza, Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), George Linde, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi
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