Tag: Cricket

Stand-in skipper KL Rahul on Tuesday confirmed that he will open the batting for India in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting here on Wednesday, in the absence of Rohit Sharma.

Pant reached a well-deserved century with a pull through square leg off Jansen with every member of the Indian team applauding from the dressing room. Jansen ended the Indian innings by having Jasprit Bumrah give a catch to Bavuma at cover-point to pick his fourth wicket of the match

Pant's counter-attack allowed a patient and focused Kohli to take his time and solidify himself from the other end. With the bounce becoming a threat, Kohli was ready to leave everything which was threatening and used soft hands while defending, with anything drifting down the leg-side to be glanced for boundaries

Dravid was lavish in his praise for Vihari for his gritty show in the second Test against South Africa. He also hailed Iyer as another strong middle order contender. However, The Wall made it pretty clear that both the players will not be preferred over and above a Rahane or a Pujara in the set-up with Kohli set to comeback in the next game.

The global cricket governing body said the in-match penalty for slow-over rates was included after seeing its efficacy in the Hundred competition in England in 2021.

Jasprit Bumrah began the proceedings with a jaffa to square up Rassie van der Dussen. But Elgar, who took lots of body blows on day three, continued his gutsy stay at the crease by drilling Ravichandran Ashwin through left of mid-on to raise his half-century.

The start of the fourth and penultimate day's play in the second Test between India and South Africa was on Thursday delayed due to rain.

It was Vihari and Shardul, who were involved in a 41-run stand for the seventh wicket and then had two little but enormously important stands of 17 and 21 respectively with tail-enders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to set up a good chase for the Proteas.

After winning the toss, Rahul said Kohli is out due to upper-back spasm and Hanuma Vihari comes into the playing eleven.

Quinton de Kock smashed some boundaries while sharing a stand of 31 with Bavuma before chopping on to his stumps while trying to cut off Siraj.

The hardworking Siraj bowled one with the scrambled seam and just like the first innings, tried to cut with very little room for execution with the ball coming into him.

Earlier, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal justified captain Kohli's decision to bat first with a careful yet solid opening stand as India reached 83/0 in 28 overs at lunch.

Harbhajan, who made his India debut during an ODI against New Zealand at Sharjah in 1998, last played for the country in March, 2016 during a T20I against the UAE at Dhaka.

While injured Rohit Sharma will miss the Tests in South Africa, the ODIs after that will see Kohli being unavailable for the Indian team.

He is also now three runs away from overtaking former Australia captain Ricky Ponting's 2005 haul of 1544 runs.