India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 2 Highlights: Hardik Pandya heroics revive India but SA 142 runs ahead

South Africa scored 286 in their first innings and then bowled India out for 209 on day two to take a 77-run lead in the first innings.

India team celebrating a wicket in South Africa's first innings (PTI)

SOUTH AFRICA SECOND INNINGS  (SCORECARD)

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9:33 pm IST: STUMPS on Day 2. South Africa have reached 65/2, leading India (209) by 142 runs. Nightwatchman Rabada is on 2* and Hashim Amla on 4*. Hardika Pandya took both the wickets for South Africa with a spell of 2/17 after playing a valiant knock of 93 to keep India in the game.

9:28 pm IST: Still time for a couple of more overs and India putting as much pressure as possible, especially on Rabada who is looking nervous and circumspect with one eye on the clock. SA 61/2, leading by 138.

Kagiso Rabada, the nightwatchman, walks in.

9:19 pm IST: Wicket Alert! Pandya on a roll. You can't keep him out in this game. Gets an outside edge off Elgar's (25) bat to turn South Africa to 59/2. A good comeback by India when the SA openers looked in total control. Different picture now, but the lead is 136. So India must strike at regular intervals. Not much time to stumps, though. 

9:12 pm IST: Markram raises SA's fifty with a scorching cover drive off Pandya, and his partnership with Elgar (18*) is now looking ever so threatening. But Pandya gets into the act in the same over and gets some extra bounce to induce an error from Markram (34), who ends up offering a dolly to Bhuvneshwar at point. SA 52/1 in 15 overs, lead by 129.

8:55 pm IST: Hardik Pandya, whose 93 has kept India in the game, has just completed his first over but not much assistance visible for him either. The Proteas, meanwhile, have moved to 34/0 and their lead 111. Markram is on 28 and Elgar on 5.

8:38 pm IST:  Markram (19*) has assumed the role of a leader, ahead of his more experienced opening partner Elgar (3*) who is taking his time to set. And the lead is now just one short of touching the 100-run mark. 

8:25 pm IST: SA openers Elgar (3*) and Markram (10*) don't look anywhere near as troubled as they were in the first innings, just that the former appears a little awkward to the one that comes into him. SA 13/0 in 5 overs, lead by 90.

8:12 pm IST: Early life for Dean Elgar, who miscued a pull shot off Jasprit Bumrah and then had a big sigh of relief seeing Mohammed Shami running back from mid-on only to end up with a poor effort. Should have been taken. SA 2/0 in 2 overs.

8:10 pm IST: Bhuvneshwar begins for India and will hope to extract the same about of movement as he did in the first innings. But more importantly, he would want to get early wickets to keep South Africa from running away with the game. 

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INDIA FIRST INNINGS

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7:56 pm IST: South Africa (286) bowl India out for 209 to take a first-innings lead of 77 runs. (Pandya 93; Philander 3/33, Rabada 3/34)

7:50 pm IST: Bumrah and Shami fighting it out, not backing away from the short-pitch stuff dished out by the SA pacers. India 205/9, now 81 behind South Africa's 286.

7:36 pm IST: Pandya dismissed for 93 by Rabada. A disappointed Indian dressing room gathers itself to get up and applaud a heroic effort. Could have been his second Test century but wasn't to be. South Africa now just one wicket from bowling India, 199/9, out. 

7:23 pm IST: OUT! Bhuvneshwar Kumar (25) edges Morkel straight to De Kock, and it ends the Bhuvi-Pandya stand at 99. But what a crucial hand played by the Indian swing bowler. India 191/8 and still 95 runs behind South Africa's 286. Pandya is battin gon 85.

Dale Steyn Update: The SA pacer is off to hospital for a scan of his heel.

6:40 pm IST: It's tea on day two at Newlands. India 185/7 after 61 overs. What a partnership between Hardik Pandya (81*) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (24*)! Both have added 93 runs so far. The hosts are well and truly back in the game. They now trail South Africa by just 101 runs. Meanwhile bad news for South Africa as Dale Steyn injures his ankle while bowling and hobbles back to the dressing room. 

6.20 pm IST: Pandya gets a big six off Keshav Maharaj bowling his first over. He tries to repeat the same off the next ball by jumping out of the crease but this time he fails to connect. If not for Quinton de Kock failing to collect the ball he would have been out stumped. Pandya gets a second reprieve in his innings. First he was dropped on 15 and now this on 71. And adding insult to injury, he gets a four off the fifth ball of the over. India 165/7 after 56 overs.  

6.12 pm IST: Fifty run partnership between Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Pandya is really looking good and Bhuvneshwar is proving reliable company. Can Pandya get the first century of this match? We will have to wait and watch. India 145/7 after 54 overs.

5.57 pm IST: Hardik Pandya reaches an excellent fifty, off just 46 balls. Remember, he was dropped by Dean Elgar on 15. He has made the most of that opportunity to score his second fifty in Test cricket.  India (131/7 in 52 overs) now feel a little better. However, they still trail South Africa by 155 runs. At the other end, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 30 balls but is yet to open his account. 

5.35 pm IST: India's all hopes now rest on Hardik Pandya. And he is looking good, especially after that drop off Dale Steyn when he was on 15. Since then, he has taken three fours from Vernon Philander's over and an exquisite boundary off Morne Morkel. India 110/7 after 46 overs. Pandya 34*, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0*. 

5.11 pm IST: Wriddhiman Saha goes for a duck. First Hardik Pandya is dropped by Dean Elgar in gulley and one run is taken. Right off the next ball, Saha offers his pads to an in-coming delivery and is given out. Saha reviews but is unsuccessful as Dale Steyn picks up his second wicket. India in dire straits at 92/7 in 42 overs.

4.59 pm IST: Now R Ashwin goes for 12. Edges Vernon Philander and Quinton de Kock dives to his right to take a nice catch behind the wickets. Philander takes his third wicket. India 81/6 in 39 overs.

4.52 pm IST: Hardik Pandya reviews a caught-behind against him and succeeds. The ball was way away from Pandya's bat. Big relief in the India camp. Dale Steyn is disappointed. The South African bowlers appear to be on top presently. India 81/5 in 38 overs.

4.45 pm IST: Cheteshwar Pujara out for 26! Big blow to India. He goes first-ball to Vernon Philander, finds Faf du Plessis at second slip as he tries to poke at an away-going delivery. India 76/5 in 37 overs.

4.02 pm IST: It's lunch on day two at Newlands. India 76/4. Cheteshwar Pujara 26*, R Ashwin 12*. It's surprising Ashwin has been sent ahead of the more accomplished Wriddhiman Saha on this difficult wicket. India lost Rohit Sharma in the session to Kagiso Rabada for 11. All four South African fast bowlers - Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Rabada - are among the wickets. The tourists are still trailing by 210 runs. 

3.25 pm IST: South Africa succeed in taking their first wicket of the day as Kagiso Rabada traps Rohit Sharma (11 off 59 balls) in front of the wickets. After a chat with Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit decides to review it and replays show he is plumb in front. India 57 for 4 in 28.3 overs in their reply to South Africa's 286. Just what Rohit didn't want for himself, there were already many people questioning his place in the starting XI ahead of Ajinkya Rahane, and after this those critics are going to go all out in their hunt.

3.18 pm IST: Fifty for India. Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma are doing just what's required of them. Rohit especially is praiseworthy for not losing focus and playing rash shots. However in the 27th over, Kagiso Rabada appears to be bothering him. Pujara at the other end is as solid as ever, and whenever there has been an opportunity for him get a four he has grabbed it with both hands. India 53/3 in 27 overs. 

2.36 pm IST: First boundary of the day comes for India. Cheteshwar Pujara flicks Dale Steyn off his pads and fetches four runs. Beautiful shot! India need more of these. India 37 for 3 after 18 overs.

2.28 pm IST: India at last start their account on the seocnd day, after four successive maidens. Well, that tells you how cautious both the batsmen have been.  

2.10 pm IST: Play has begun in Newlands. Indian batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma are showing utmost caution and that's how it should be as they can't afford to have another bad day at the batting office. India 28/3 after 13 overs.

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Good afternoon everyone.

Welcome to Zee News Sports' live commentary on South Africa vs India, 1st Test, Day 2.

We all have eagerly waited for India's tour of South Africa to begin. We all knew South Africa would be a tough nut to crack, and it turned out that way as Virat Kohli and Co. succumbed to 28/3 in their reply to South Africa's 286. 

The pitch so far has played a little tricky and is expected to behave the same on Saturday. Clearly, another tough day is in the offing for the Indian batsmen.

Today could very well shape the rest of the tour for India in terms of how competitive they are going to be.

India currently has Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma at the crease.

So strap your seat belts folks and enjoy another day of competitive cricket.