Visakhapatnam, Oct 5: Rohit Sharma struck 127 while Cheteshwar Pujara scored 81 as India declared their second innings at 323 for 4 leaving South Africa with an improbable victory target of 395 on the fourth day of the first Test.
After scoring 176 in the first innings, Rohit smashed 127 off 149 balls, adding 169 for the second wicket with Pujara. Rohit's innings had 10 fours and seven sixes while Pujara hit 13 fours and two sixes.
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Ravindra Jadeja (40 off 32 balls), skipper Virat Kohli (31 no off 25 balls) and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (27 no off 17 balls) also threw their bats around to beef up the total.
In response, the visitors lost Dean Elgar - the centurion from the first innings - cheaply. Elgar was batting at 2 when Jadeja trapped the southpaw in front but the hosts had to review the appeal to claim the wicket as the umpire had turned down their appeal.
India vs South Africa, Highlights, 1st Test: Ashwin fifer negates Elgar, De Kock hundreds on Day 3
The tourists reached 11/1 at stumps in 9 overs. They are still 384 runs short of the target. India, on the other hand, need another 9 wickets to win this match. Aiden Markram (3*) and Theunis de Bruyn (5*) will resume innings for their team on the final day as the tourists would be aiming to salvage a draw.
Here's how the fourth day panned out:
Stumps Day 4: South Africa - 11/1 in 9 overs, they need 384 more runs to win and India need another 9 wickets to win this game.
End of 5th over! South Africa are 9/1. They need 386 more runs to win this game.
OUT!! Big LBW appeal against Elgar from Jadeja. The umpire isn't impressed. Kohli goes upstairs The ball-tracking goes in India's favour. Jadeja was spot on. Elgar departs for 2. SA - 4/1
Only spinners are allowed to bowl!
The artificial light starting to take over. The umpires have said that fast bowlers cannot bowl.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 5, 2019
Jadeja bowls the second over.
Lucky! Ashwin hits the stumps but the bails don't fall, Elgar survives.
Final innings of the match! South Africa openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar are in the middle to begin run chase. Ashwin starts with the new ball.
Most runs conceded in a Test 374 Tommy Scott v Eng Kingston 1929/30 358 Jason Krejza v Ind Nagpur 2008/09 318 Keshav Maharaj v Ind Vizag 2019/20 * 308 Arthur Mailey v Eng SCG 1924/25
India could bowl 13 overs today.
Declaration! India declare 2nd innings at 323/4. South Africa need 395 to win this game.
Playing like a T20 game!! Rahane - 26* off 15 deliveries Kohli - 26* off 21 deliveries
Most sixes hit by a team in a Test match:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 5, 2019
27 India v South Africa (Visakhapatnam, 2019)
22 New Zealand v Pakistan (Sharjah, 2014)#INDvSA
SIX!! Ajinkya Rahane plays it inside-out and the ball sails over covers for a maximum off Maharaj Excellent shot from the vice-captain.
300 up for India in the second innings as well. They now lead by 371 runs
Wicket! Ravindra Jadeja has been clean bowled by Kagiso Rabada for 40. He's batted well. India - 286/4.
SIX!!! Sir Jadeja goes big as he hits Peidt over long-on for a maximum. Runs are flowing for the hosts at the moment
SIX!! Virat Kohli hits Maharaj over mid-on for a maximum. Four!! He then follows it up with a beautiful cover drive.
When your opponents congratulate you for an inning well batted!
Well played, @ImRo45 🤝🤝@Paytm #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/NsSGb5n5Sa
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 5, 2019
250 up for India in 59 overs. Their lead swells up to 324. 350 should be sufficient enough for them.
Four! Brilliant cover drive from Virat Kohli against Maharaj and the ball races towards the fence.
Wicket! Rohit Sharma (127) gets dismissed in exactly the same fashion he was dismissed in the first innings i.e. stumped by Quinton de Kock off Keshav Maharaj. India - 239/3 in 56.5 overs.
Rohit Sharma - first Indian batsman to be stumped twice in the same Test match!#IndvSA #IndvsSA
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) October 5, 2019
SIX, SIX, SIX!! Hat-trick of maximums from Rohit Sharma and he claims record of hitting most sixes in a match (13). Surpasses Wasim Akram's record of 12 sixes.
Most sixes in a Test
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 5, 2019
13*Rohit Sharma v SA Vizag 2019/20
12 Wasim Akram v Zim Sheikhupura 1996/97#INDvSA
Rohit Sharma becomes first batsman in history of Test cricket to score 2 centuries in a match when opening for the first time.
Jadeja survives! Huge LBW appeal against Jadeja, umpire not interested. Faf goes upstairs but the ball-tracking showed ball was missing stumps.
Century! Back-to-back century for Rohit Sharma in this match. This is his fifth Test ton.
Indian players with 100s in each inngs of a Test
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 5, 2019
Vijay Hazare
Sunil Gavaskar (thrice)
Rahul Dravid (twice)
Virat Kohli
Ajinkya Rahane
ROHIT SHARMA - first to do so in maiden Test as opener (among all teams)#INDvSA
200 up for India with a boundary through a cover drive from Rohit Sharma. He moves on to 98*.
Rohit Sharma now has the most runs in a Test by a batsman opening for the first time. Previous highest: Tillakaratne Dilshan's 215* (92 & 123*) v NZ, Galle, 2009.
SIX!! Ravindra Jadeja dispatches Mutthusamy into the stands on the third ball he faces and gets off the mark in style.
Surprise! Ravindra Jadeja has been sent in to bat, clearly the skipper wants him to score at a brisk pace.
If Jadeja has come ahead of Kohli, he has to go after every ball because Kohli could have scored at a reasonable rate too. I get the feeling Kohli wants a few overs at SA this evening.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 5, 2019
Wicket! Cheteshwar Pujara's knock comes to an end for 81. He misses a well-deserved ton and Philander breaks the 169-run partnership. Even DRS couldn't save Pujara. India - 190/2 in 51 overs
This match has witnessed a lot of sixes and credit for the same goes to Rohit Sharma.
Most sixes by a team in a Test:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 5, 2019
22 - NZ v Pak, Sharjah, 2014
19* - IND v SA, Vizag, 2019#IndvSA