The Ferozeshah Kotla has witnessed some firsts in the Freedom Series.
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In a low-scoring series in which no other batsman from either side managed a single hundred, Rahane took 206 balls to bring up his second of the match and the sixth of his test career with the help of eight boundaries and three sixes.
# Rahane’s unbeaten fifty is his third vs South Africa – his eighth in Tests.
133 An unbroken stand for the fifth wicket between Kohli and Rahane -India’s highest for this wicket vs South Africa in Tests at home, bettering the 110 between Dhoni and Ganguly in Ahmedabad, April 2008.
The hosts though were never in any real trouble with a 213-run first innings lead keeping them on top throughout.
South Africa pace bowler Morne Morkel grabbed three wickets but Kohli and Rahane ground down the bowlers with a partnership that was 12 runs more than South Africa’s first-innings total.
Morkel dealt a double blow in his fourth over. Vijay (3) was surprised by the extra bounce of a Morkel delivery that appeared to brush his gloves on the way to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.
An unhappy Vijay indicated that the ball might have brushed his elbow guard. But the Saurashtra batsman was outfoxed by a faster delivery by Tahir that pitched on a fuller length before hitting the off-stump.
Cheteshwar Pujara (28), who sustained a bruise in his forearm yesterday and could not field, carried on manfully till lunch session.
Dhawan adapted well by curtailing his shots.
Jadeja picked up five wickets for 30 runs as India bowled out the tourists for 121 off 49.3 overs in New Delhi.
In the following over, Pujara lost his off-stump to Imran Tahir as India was reduced to 57 for four. “We batted nicely in the primary innings, they folded cheaply”.Kohli cashed in as he reached his first Test half-century for 10 innings, a drought by his own comparisons, while Rahane continued his excellent form in the match to be unbeaten on 52.
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir also came to the party as he claimed his first wicket after knocking out Pujara’s off stump.
“I was determined to get a big score here”, Rahane said.
The test this time was tougher though as the Proteas bowlers sustained pressure for a longer period of time.
The right-arm seamer had Ashwin caught by AB de Villiers’ for 56 before Ishant Sharma was trapped lbw to end the India innings at 334.
Rahane struck all three of his sixes in the morning session to accelerate the run rate.
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Umesh Yadav (2-32) drew first blood in the South African innings, picking up Dean Elgar (17) caught behind shortly before tea. On a pitch that played no trick apart from demanding the customary caution from the batsmen, the visitors dished out yet another inept display to find themselves struggling to save the fourth and final Test on Day II at the Kotla, on Friday.
