New Delhi, Oct 2: Rohit Sharma slammed an unbeaten 115 while his opening partner Mayank Agarwal remained not out at 84 before rain washed out play on day one in the first Test match between India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday (October 2).
Batting first, India posted 202 for no loss in 59.1 overs before bad light followed by heavy rains prevented the play to be resumed, forcing the umpires to call off the day's play. The match will now resume on Thursday (October 3).
It was a day to remember for Rohit Sharma (115* off 174) who was asked to open the innings for the first time in Test format. After patiently seeing through the first 30 minutes, the Mumbaikar made most of the slowness of the pitch and notched up his career's fourth Test century. Rohit also struck twelve boundaries and five massive sixes in his innings.
Rohit thus became the fourth Indian batsman after Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, and Prithvi Shaw to slam a ton in his first innings as an opener.
Mayank Agarwal also complimented Rohit brilliantly in the middle and went on to score his fifth half-century in Test cricket. Batting on 84*, the Karnataka top-order batsman would be looking to convert it into his maiden Test century when he walks into the middle on day two. He has also hit eleven fours and two maximums in his knock.
For South Africa, their bowlers had an ordinary outing in the office as they were completely ineffective on the slow Visakhapatnam track. Their strike pacers Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada failed to get a breakthrough with the new ball though they asked some tight questions early on. Once the openers were set, no Protea bowler could trouble them, even their spinners.
Keshav Maharaj, who did the bulk of the bowling for his team, couldn't get any success despite bowling 23 overs. By the time rain and bad light stopped the play, India were 202/0 in 59.1.
Here's how the play on day 1 panned out: