South Africa's Dean Elgar (left) and South Africa's David Bedingham (left) run between the wickets on the second day of the first cricket Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on December 27, 2023. right).
South Africa's Dean Elgar (left) and South Africa's David Bedingham run between the wickets on the second day of the first cricket Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on December 27, 2023. (right). AFP
Dean Elgar On the eve of his retirement, new international David Bedingham gave South Africa the lead on the second day of the first Test against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
Elgar didn't
let his over-the-limit 140 go out and Bedingham confidently hit 56 as South Africa reached 256 for 5 and held an 11-run lead, but play was halted due to poor light. .
Two slow wickets kept India in the game, especially as South African captain Themba Bavuma, who injured his hamstring on the opening day, was not in the mood to bat.
There was no update on his condition from the South African dressing room, but he remained in his jersey while the other batsmen took their turns
KL Rahul scored 101 runs for India, his 8th Test century and his second in consecutive matches in the Centurion Tournament. He was the last to be dismissed as India scored 245 points.
Elgar, 36, has endured a tough start against India's new ball bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj and announced he will retire from international cricket after the second Test in Cape Town next week.
However, the left-handed opening batsman produced the most fluent batting of his career as India surprisingly did not field a two-strike bowler immediately after lunch.
Elgar reached his 50 with his 79 balls and his 10 fours and his 14th Test century came from his 140 deliveries and his 9 more boundaries Ta. Before play was stopped, his scoring rate decreased as he continued to defend in increasingly dim light. He faced 211 pitches and hit 23 four-balls.
Bedingham, 29, has been playing in England County Cricket for Durham since 2020 and there was speculation that he could aim to qualify for the England squad.
However, new South African Test coach Shukri Konrad called him into the Test squad and he looked comfortable from the beginning of the innings. The tall right-handed batsman played his first Test first-class match and averaged a solid 49.51 over 86 overs, 44 of which came at Durham. He hit seven fours and two sixes in his 87-ball innings and helped Elgar add 131 for the fourth wicket.
South Africa added 145 runs despite losing two wickets in 33 overs in the afternoon session, which was extended to make up for the overs lost on the rainy opening day.
However, India bounced back strongly after tea as Siraj Bedingham bowled a full toss and debutant Prasidh Krishna took his maiden Test wicket.