2nd Test, Day 1: South Africa 35/1 at stumps, trail India by 167 runs
Ajinkya Rahane, Pujara flop show continues as Indian middle-order disappoints again
Johannesburg, Jan 3: Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's saga of failures compounded a shoddy batting performance by India even as stand-in skipper KL Rahul impressed with a defiant show amid the ruins on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa here on Monday.
Rahul's patient 50-run knock on a day when India missed Virat Kohli due to back spasms and Ravichandran Ashwin's cavalier 46 at the rear end ensured that India scored 202 in their first innings on a bouncy Wanderers track.
At stumps, Mohammed Shami sent back Aiden Markram even as Dean Elgar (11 batting) and Keegan Peterson (14 batting) took South Africa to 35 for 1. It could have been two down had Rishabh Pant snapped Peterson off Jasprit Bumrah, which seemed a regulation catch.
Worse, Mohammed Siraj hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring strain and if it's bad news, then India would be left with four bowlers.
However, a lot of blame should go to India's batters as some like Pujara didn't show intent to score while others like Rahane seemed completely short of confidence.
It prompted the legendary Sunil Gavaskar to say it as it is on air, "I think the next innings will be their last chance."
Having given up hopes to play for England, Duanne Olivier (3/67 in 17 overs), playing his first game for South Africa in three years, dismissed Pujara (3 off 33 balls) and Rahane (0) off successive deliveries to make it difficult for the Indians.
Marco Jansen (4/31 in 17 overs), with his giant frame, created awkward lengths for every Indian batter while Kagiso Rabada (3/64 in 17.1 overs), despite not being at his best, got wickets when it mattered.
In his first game as captain, Rahul concentrated hard as he played 133 deliveries. He was peppered with short balls. He would sway to some and duck the others while pulling the ones that he could.
His back-foot driving was majestic and he rode the bounce while going for the flashy cut shots.
Such is beauty of sport that Rahul, who till five months ago wasn't supposed to start as an opener in England, is now being groomed as an all-format India captain.
If the first day composure is any indication, he won't do a bad job.
But then there was a moment's indiscretion when he played one pull shot too many and holed out in the fine leg region.
Prior to that shot, the occasional pull that he played, Rahul rolled his bat over and tried to keep it down the ground but in this case, he got under the Jansen short ball and didn't get the required elevation.
He had a nice little partnership of 42 runs with Hanuma Vihari (20) before an inspirational close-in catch from Rassie Van der Dussen at short leg sent the latter back.
Rishabh Pant (17) and an attacking Ashwin (24 batting 21 balls) added 40 in quick time but what India needed was a partnership of at least 75 if not 100.
At the start, Mayank Agarwal (26) looked fluent in the first hour with five boundaries before Jansen pitched one in the spot from where it wasn't on drivable length as it climbed on. The opener went for a drive only to edge that to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
Rahul, on his part, survived strong caught behind and leg before appeals which were negated by debutant umpire Allahudien Palekar, someone who impressed on debut.
But what would disappoint Pujara and Rahane most is that on a day when they should have taken more responsibility in Kohli's absence, they couldn't even inject a sense of positivity in India's approach.
The manner in which Pujara hopped and skipped to rising deliveries actually would have made the dressing room feel jittery about demons in the pitch which wasn't the case. But there was definitely seam and bounce which one expects here in South Africa.
He once again got into a shell and was very uncomfortable against steep bounce which finally became his undoing.
Olivier's natural back of length deliveries were perfect recipe for disaster as he fended one that was wide of the short leg fielder but the next one lobbed up to the man at point for an easy catch.
Rahane's dismissal was that of a player, whose confidence has been torn to pieces.
The ball pitched on the fourth stump channel, created indecision on whether to play or not and Rahane dangled his bat for the catch to be taken in the slips.
This match will certainly not last the distance and if they can't make a difference in the second innings, the enormous patience that the Indian team management has shown towards them will definitely start wearing thin.
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2nd WT20I: Shafali, spin trio do star turns in India''s seven-wicket win
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Shafali Verma hit a blistering unbeaten 69 as India made short work of a paltry target to outclass Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Women’s T20 International here on Tuesday.
India now lead the five-match series 2-0 after another one-sided victory, having restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 128 for 9 through a collective display of disciplined bowling from the spin trio of seasoned Sneh Rana, ably complemented by young spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
During the chase, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (14) fell cheaply but Shafali, enjoying new found confidence after a stellar show in the World Cup final, sent the bowlers on a leather-hunt during her 34-ball knock, winning it for her team in just 11.5 overs.
The hosts have now completed back-to-back successful chases within 15 overs which speaks volumes about the unit's sky-high confidence.
Shafali's innings had 11 punchy boundaries apart from a maximum.
The floodgates opened when left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera bowled a few flighted deliveries and Shafali would step out everytime to hit her over extra cover. Her footwork against slow bowlers was immaculate whether stepping out to loft the ball or rocking back to punch or pull.
Seeing her confidence, the newly appointed Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls) also attacked as the duo added 58 runs in just 4.3 overs.
By the time Rodrigues was out trying to hit one six too many, the match as a contest was over. Shafali completed her half-century off just 27 balls and completed the formalities in a jiffy.
Earlier, off-spinner Rana, who got a look-in after Deepti Sharma was ruled out due to fever, showed her utility keeping the Lankan batters under tight leash with figures of 1 for 11 in 4 overs, including a maiden which certainly is a rarity in T20 cricket.
Charani, who made an impression during India's ODI World Cup triumph, took 2 for 23 in her quota of overs, while Vaishnavi after an impressive debut in the opening encounter, finished with 2 for 32, not letting the Islanders get easy runs in her second spell.
The last six wickets fell for just 24 runs, but what stood out during India’s bowling effort was their superb ground fielding. After a patchy show in the previous game, the improved sharpness in the field resulted in three run-outs.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu (31 off 24 balls) looked in good nick as she deposited length deliveries from seamers Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy over the ropes but it was Rana, who kept her quiet by repeatedly pitching on good length.
Unable to manoeuvre the strike and with the big hits suddenly drying up, Athapaththu chanced her arm at another delivery in which Rana had shortened the length slightly.
Not having transferred the weight into the lofted shot, Athapaththu's hoick was pouched cleanly by Amanjot Kaur at long-off.
This was after Athapaththu's opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne (1) had offered a simple return catch to Gaud.
Hasini Perera (22 off 28 balls) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 off 32 balls) did stitch a stand of 44 but they could never set the tempo against the Indian spin troika.
Once Hasini offered a tame return catch off a Charani full-toss, Sri Lankans never recovered and lost wickets in a heap towards the end.
