India vs South Africa, 3rd Test:
India is on its way to set up another big total in their first innings of the 3rd Test against South Africa. South Africa lost their tenth consecutive toss in India and had to bowl first with five changes to their team. Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma opened the innings for India’s cricket team.
Mayank Agarwal lost his wicket to Kagiso Rabada early in the innings after scoring 10 runs off 19 balls. Kagiso Rabada dismissed Mayank Agarwal after Dean Elgar took his catch on the last ball of the fifth over. Cheteshwar Pujara came to bat but he also lost his wicket to Kagiso Rabada on a duck. Rabada claimed Cheteshwar Pujara’s wicket in the 9th over of the innings.
India’s Captain Virat Kohli, who scored his seventh double-century in the previous Test against South Africa, got lbw by Anrich Nortje. Virat Kohli scored 12 runs off 22 balls before Anrich Nortje took his wicket on the third ball of the 16th over.
India was 3 down on 39 runs and things were finally looking decent for South Africa, but then Ajinkiya Rahane came to bat. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkiya Rahane made sure that no other wicket falls today for India before the day was called off early due to bad light.
Bad light has halted play at Ranchi with India in a strong position!
The hosts are 224/3, with Ajinkya Rahane 83* and Rohit Sharma 117*.#INDvSA ? ?https://t.co/AEYe6hGC3o pic.twitter.com/wxauD0tQyE
— ICC (@ICC) October 19, 2019
Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma push India forward:
Rohit Sharma smacked 17 sixes, breaking the record of most sixes hit by a batsman in a Test series and also the record of hitting the most sixes this year. Rohit Sharma pulled it off in just 4 Test innings. He is also the only Indian opener since Sunil Gavaskar in 1978, to score more than two centuries in a series. Rohit also shared the highest fourth-wicket partnership for India against South Africa with Ajinkiya Rahane. Ajinkiya Rahane scored his fastest half-century in at home in the 3rd Test against South Africa.
What an innings this is from Rohit Sharma! ?
He brings up his third Test hundred of this series – his sixth in the format – with a six. #INDvSA LIVE ?https://t.co/AEYe6hGC3o pic.twitter.com/VByRqGLiUz
— ICC (@ICC) October 19, 2019
Rohit Sharma played a remarkable innings, scoring his sixth Test hundred which was also his third in this Test series. Rohit scored a total of 117 runs off 164 balls. He struck 14 fours and 4 sixes. Ajinkiya Rahane scored 83 runs off 135 balls for 11 fours and a six. Ajinkiya Rahane and Rohit Sharma are sharing a partnership of 185 runs and they will continue on day 2 from there.
At the end of the day, India was 224 at the cost of 3 wickets. South Africa has bowled 58 overs. Anrich Nortje of South Africa bowled 16 overs with 1 wicket for 50 runs. Kagiso Rabada has bowled 14 overs for 2 wickets after conceding 54 runs. Lungi Ngidi and debutant George Linde bowled 11 overs each, while Dane Piedt turned out to be a little expensive for South Africa after he conceded 43 runs in his 6 overs with at the economy rate of 7.
The play will resume 30 minutes early the next day to make up for the lost time.
