- At Stumps on Day 1, India are 273/3 with Virat (63) and Ajinkya Rahane (18) at the crease.
- Mayank Agarwal made 108, his second Test century, while Cheteshwar Pujara scored 58.
- Kagiso Rabada (3/48) picked up all the three wickets for South Africa.
After a century from Mayank Agarwal and a fifty by Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli added to South Africa’s woes by scoring his 23rd Test half century, in the last hour before Stumps on Day 1 of the Pune Test.
In the 81st over of the day, the Indian skipper smashed two boundaries to get to his fifty and in the process also helped the team cross the 250-run mark.
A few overs later, the umpires called Stumps due to bad light. India’s score was 273/3 and Virat was batting on 63 with Ajinkya Rahane for company (18*).
After his double century in the opening Test at Vizag, Mayank smashed his career’s second ton when he hit Vernon Philander for a boundary in the first half hour of the final session of play. The opener however got out on 108 soon after.
Virat Kohli won the toss earlier today and elected to bat first, making one change to the squad. He’s played Umesh Yadav for Hanuma Vihari and Faf du Plessis too added a pace bowler in his line-up, giving a debut cap to Anrich Nortje.
After his two centuries in the Vizag Test, Rohit Sharma fell early in the game after he was caught-behind on 14 off Kagiso Rabada.
Pujara then joined Mayank and the two added 138 runs for the second wicket, taking India past the 150-run mark. The number 3 batsmen then scored his 22nd Test half century before falling to Rabada on 58.
Mayank had skipper Virat for company as the two walked back from Tea on 168/2 and soon enough, the Bangalore cricketer scored the century.
Faf du Plessis brought Rabada back into the attack soon after and the pacer delivered, picking his third wicket of the day and Mayank was caught as slips by the skipper on 108.
Earlier, Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
"We are batting first. Looks like a hard wicket. Runs on the board and on this surface, the ball will eventually turn here on Day 2 and 3, so Day 1 will be the best time to bat," said Kohli after winning the toss.
"The players were putting pressure on me to win the toss. With the grass on the pitch and the reverse option on this track, we needed a new seam option. Vihari misses out unfortunately and Umesh Yadav comes into the side."
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