Hardik Pandya reaffirmed his growing stature as an all-rounder with a defiant and unorthodox 95-ball 93 that saved India total embarrassment in the first Test against South Africa at Newlands on Saturday. (SCORECARD)
India eventually folded for 209 in their first innings but Pandya returned to claim openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar, restricting South Africa to 65/2 at stumps on Day 2.
South Africa have an overall lead of 142 but could have easily boasted of more had it not been for Pandya’s resuscitating knock in a 99-run eighth-wicket stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (25) that could draw comparisons with some of Kapil Dev’s innings. On a day when the World Cup-winning skipper turned 59, India seemed to have finally unearthed a worthy successor.
It might still not be enough to save this Test. But at least India now seem to have a player who doesn’t worry about reputation or opponents, or conditions. Nothing else explains Pandya’s stunning advance down the pitch to Vernon Philander, who was in scorching form after snaring Cheteshwar Pujara first ball after lunch.
Till Pandya stepped up, India were under the pump, crawling through a probing morning session that produced just 48 runs in 25 overs with 11 maidens.
{{/usCountry}}Till Pandya stepped up, India were under the pump, crawling through a probing morning session that produced just 48 runs in 25 overs with 11 maidens.
{{/usCountry}}Aiming at ribcage
Dale Steyn was taking regular aim at the body while Philander bowled five consecutive maidens. The beauty of this ferocious South African bowling attack is it didn’t let up on the pressure even after Steyn hobbled off due to a heel problem. He was later ruled out of this Test, and likely from the series, due to a tissue injury.
When Steyn and Philander were finally done piling on the misery, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada took over from either end. Rohit displayed uncharacteristic patience but Rabada beat him for pace to trap him leg before. A desperate review too couldn’t save Rohit.
Soon after Pujara’s dismissal, Ravichandran Ashwin poked at a Philander delivery. Wriddhiman Saha then shouldered arms to a Steyn delivery that nipped back and struck his back pad, prompting Pandya to throw caution to the wind.
Surviving chances
His was not a chanceless innings though. Steyn appeal for caught behind was upheld but so confident was Pandya that it had only hit his back thigh he instantly reviewed it. This was after Elgar had dropped Pandya at gully, again off Steyn. By the time Quinton de Kock missed a stumping in left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj’s first over, Pandya was in rampage mode.
First picking Philander by scoring three boundaries, Pandya then focused on Morne Morkel, off whom he also brought up his fifty with a boundary through mid-off. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar ably holding one end up, Pandya went about scoring quick runs. There were drives, cuts and audacious ramp shots. By the time Pandya fell to an attempted ramp shot, India were one short of 200.
India were undone by the absence of their best batsmen in the post-lunch session, when the pitch is at its best for batting. In hindsight, they should have shielded Virat Kohli by sending in a nightwatchman after the openers’ dismissals late on the first day. South Africa though were smart in sending Rabada, leaving India staring at the prospect of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and de Kock making hay on a pitch that will ease out even more on Sunday.