India vs SA 1st Test, Day 2: Rain and thunderstorm threaten play at Centurion

India's KL Rahul is unbeaten on 122 after Day 1 of Boxing Day Test against South Africa at Centurion. (Source: Twitter)

The progress of Virat Kohli’s Team India might be halted due to rain which is predicted on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa at Centurion on Monday (December 27). According to weather prediction, there will be 99 per cent cloud cover in Centurion.

The maximum temperature during the day time will be hovering around 19 degrees Celsius in the Highveld. The humidity level will be high around 97 per cent through Monday. The weather department predicts at least four hours of rain on Day 2 which include a couple of showers and a thunderstorm as well.

This is not good news for Team India, who ended Day 1 in a strong position at 272/3 with opener KL Rahul batting unbeaten on 122 and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle batting on 40.

Vice-captain Rahul, who averaged 7.50 in four innings with a top score of 16 in South Africa three years ago, reached his ton off 218 balls as he toyed with a blunt home bowling attack on a slow wicket. He will resume on the second morning with Ajinkya Rahane (40 not out), whose place in the side had been under scrutiny but played some wonderful shots to share an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 73.

Ragged South Africa looked like a side who have not played test cricket since June, with a number of their players having had no red-ball cricket in the last six months. They bowled too short on a wicket providing little assistance and did not attack the stumps enough after India had won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions.

The decision to select 21-year-old debutant left-arm seamer Marco Jansen (0/61) over the more experienced, and in-form, Duanne Olivier raised eyebrows too. The home side had to wait until the second session to make a breakthrough as India opener Mayank Agarwal (60) was trapped lbw by Lungi Ngidi (3/45) after a 117-run opening partnership with Rahul.

Agarwal left the field vigorously shaking his head after a review from South Africa suggested the delivery was striking the top of leg stump. “Putting up 270 on the first day is fantastic and the key to us doing that was getting a good start,” Agarwal told reporters.

“When you come abroad to places like South Africa, it is very important you apply yourself, be disciplined and come with good game-plans. That paid dividends for us. The pitch was initially quite soft and there was moisture there. We knew scoring runs on the front foot would not be easy,” he added.

(with Reuters inputs)