South Africa vs India 2018: 2nd Test, day 1, 5 things we learnt
Half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla helped South Africa get off to a fine start on day 1 although three late wickets gave India the momentum in the second Test at Centurion. Buoyed by a flat track, South Africa surged to a fine start after winning the toss, courtesy the openers who put on 85. A freak dismissal ended Elgar's stay at the crease but Markram carried on to the nineties.
Ashwin dismissed the steady Markram and Ishant Sharma had AB de Villiers chopping on to pull back the Proteas. Amla and Faf du Plessis looked like they would take South Africa to stumps but a direct hit from Pandya sent Amla on his way. Ashwin then had de Kock caught behind for a golden duck to pull things back late in the day.
#5 India spring another selection surprise
After the bizarre decision to sit out Ajinkya Rahane and Lokesh Rahul in the first Test, Virat Kohli sprung another surprise when he kept out India's best bowler at Cape Town, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Meerut swing bowler also faced the most number of balls by an Indian in the first Test and as such, the decision to keep him out made little sense.
Rahul returned in place of Dhawan in what was a welcome move and amidst all the rumours, Parthiv Patel replaced Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps, but only because the latter carried an injury. Bhuvneshwar's omission was met with a lot of criticism on social media.