Ashwin, Jadeja add to battered Proteas’ agony
VISAKHAPATNAM: Perhaps the dropped chance of Rohit Sharma in the fifth over of Day 2 was an indicator of things to come. Vernon Philander’s length ball had got an outside edge off the Indian opener but wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock could not hold on to it.
Sharma was batting on 125 then, with his opening partner Mayank Agarwal on 90. The visitor’s, unsurprisingly, paid dearly. The two Indian openers flourished in each other’s presence on the flat wicket. If Sharma’s century in his debut match as a Test opener was the single point focus of Day 1’s narrative, Day 2 belonged to the Agarwal’s chanceless and perfectly calibrated double ton (215, 371b). The two were involved in a 317-run stand, the third highest opening partnership ever for India. It was also the highest stand ever by an Indian pair against South Africa.
The Proteas did strike in the post lunch sessions as India tried to accelarate the scoring, finally declaring on 502/7. Those strikes did nothing to boost the visitors’ confidence; South Africa yet again let the opportunity slip by crumbling to 39 for three at stumps, succumbing to R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s spin web on a deteriorating pitch.
But before that last hour hustle, it was all about a powerpacked display by Sharma and Agarwal. They did look suspect against the moving ball in the first session, with the former getting a life off Philander as well as a missed run out chance, but both held on. It was almost a repeat of the first day, much to the growing despair of the South Africans.
For Agarwal, the double hundred was the culmination of a long and patient process that begun from the time he was piling on runs for Karnataka. For all his exploits in domestic cricket, the 28-year-old had to wait a while for his chance. Just five Tests old now, Agarwal has grabbed that chance hard.
Playing with a straight bat, Agarwal had looked assured in the way he went after the bowlers here on Day 1, and was equally unfazed on Day 2, as the sun shone brightly and the pitch offered nothing to the spinners.
It did not take Agarwal long to convert his overnight score of 84 into his maiden ton. In the 10th over of the day, he pushed Keshav Maharaj towards third man for a single to reach the mark. It was the first time since 2009 (Phil Hughes and Simon Katich for Australia) that both batsmen of an opening pair reached the century mark against South Africa.
Sharma and Agarwal complemented each other. Even as the former went after Maharaj, the latter kept his calm and played the perfect ally. He did not take any unnecessary risks and simply dug in further. Once that was done, the reverse sweeps came in, as well as the smashes over midwicket against the spinners. “Risk free” runs, said Agarwal.
“When I played the reverse sweep, the thing we were talking about was that I don’t really reverse sweep. It was good that we were able to manipulate the field,” Agarwal said.
Even when Agarwal stepped out to and lofted the likes of Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy over the boundary, there was no hint of risk. Though Sharma was stumped while on 176—beaten by the flight and turn from Maharaj—and Cheteshwar Pujara was bowled by Philander in the first ball after lunch, Agarwal remained steady at the other end.
Virat Kohli joined him and India cruised. The South African bowlers lacked penetration, though Agarwal did survive an LBW call from Maharaj. That was, however, quickly made up for as he smoked Maharaj over the sightscreen. Kohli was caught and bowled by Senuran Muthusamy but Agarwal carried on. He had taken 203 balls to complete the first 100 runs but needed only 155 balls to complete the next. And when he reached the mark with a two off Maharaj, there was elation as he raised his arms and soaked in the afternoon sun.
“You need to think about your own game. You go through different emotions…somewhere you feel, maybe I am batting well, maybe I will get my chance, but it doesn’t work like that. You’ve got to be patient and keep working,” he said.
SPINNERS STRIKE
It was now the Indian spinners’ turn to take over. Ashwin started the onslaught as he beat Markram’s forward defence to bowl him in the eighth over. He struck again in the 17th over; this time Theunis de Bruyn went to reach for a wide delivery and got stumped by Wriddhiman Saha. Two comeback men combining to great effect—Ashwin last played for India in December 2018, and Saha in January 2018.
Jadeja joined the party too as he bowled Nightwatchman Dane Peidt in the second last over of the day. As the pitch begins to crack on Day 3, South Africa only have more devastation to look forward to.