SA vs IND 2018, 1st Test: Need to Find a Way to Counter Hardik Pandya - Kagiso Rabada

It was all one-way traffic for South Africa’s fast-bowlers when day two started. Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara managed to keep the wickets intact for the first hour but the Proteas pacers were all on top, and it was only a matter of time before they start taking the wickets.

Rohit Sharma was the first to go after he got trapped in front by a 145 km ph inswinging delivery from Kagiso Rabada. But India somehow managed to lose just one wicket in the first session and scored 48 runs. However, South Africa did not take long to make further inroads after lunch. On the very first ball after the break, Vernon Philander dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara to all but end India’s hopes of getting close to South Africa’s first innings total of 286.

The hosts struck twice in quick succession again to leave India reeling at 92 for seven. But before they could further strengthen their grip on the game, Hardik Pandya decided to take the attack to the hosts and raced away to his second Test fifty off just 46 balls. By the time the second session ended, Pandya had scored 81 off only 68 balls. Pandya went on to miss a well-deserved century by just seven runs, but his knock helped India claw their way back into the game. The visitors were eventually all out for 209 before reducing South Africa to 65 for two with Pandya taking both the wickets.

Speaking after the day’s play, Rabada said the hosts need to find a way to counter Pandya.

“Looking at a player like him, he likes to play his natural game by playing shots. Sometimes that can put you on the backfoot or sometimes that can pay off for the bowling side. So it’s a bit of a gamble, but if he chooses to play that way and it works for him then great. We need to find a way to counter him,” Rabada said. “It’s a wicket where you really have to graft. You can’t just come in and play shots everywhere. It’s almost like there’s a ball that will have your name on it. I think you need a little bit of luck.

“As you have seen Hardik Pandya got dropped, but he did play well. So I think it’s a wicket where you need a little bit of luck. You need to really grind,” he added referring to the chance dropped by Dean Elgar when Pandya was batting on just 15.

With their overall lead extended to 142, Rabada said South Africa is slightly ahead.

“We are slightly ahead, and we are not going to give in. We need more hard work, but we will take it at the end of the day. After the sort of momentum India got in the second session, we would take that lead,” said Rabada at the end of the day’s play.

“Obviously, we were hoping for a bigger lead but India are not going to roll over, and we expected that. That is what they showed out there,” Rabada added.

When asked about the score South Africa are looking at in their second innings, he said:

“It is tough to say what fourth innings’ score we are looking for right now. We are looking at batting time, looking to bat normally and see what happens from there. We want to make it hard for them to score.”

Rabada also expressed his disappointment over Dale Steyn’s latest injury setback. The 34-year old, who was playing his first Test since November 2016, has been ruled of the remainder of the series with a bruised heel. Steyn could bowl only 17.3 overs before walking off the ground.

“It’s never nice for Dale Steyn because he’s just come back from injury, so just feeling very sympathetic for him. It’s not a nice thing, but we have to find a way to win this Test match. Luckily this time, we went with four-seamers. So there’s three seamers now that have to do the work,” said Rabada.

Here is the news feed:

SA v India 2018: Dale Steyn Ruled Out Of India Test Series

SA vs IND 2018: Hardik Pandya Keeps India in Hunt on Day Two at Newlands

Catch India’s tour to South Africa here.

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