IND vs SA, 1st Test, Day 1: Rohit-Mayank's Opening Salvo Powers India To 91-0 At Lunch

Openers Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal put on handy 91-run partnership for the first wicket to put India in a commanding position at Lunch on Day 1 of Vizag Test

Hosts India were in a commanding position at lunch on Day 1 of the Vishakapatnam Test against South Africa after openers Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal put on a solid  91-run partnership for the first wicket. The Indian openers were all at ease in negotiating the opening spell by the Proteas seamers Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander. At lunch, Rohit was batting on 52, while his partner Mayank Agarwal was unbeaten on 39.

That's Lunch on Day 1 of the 1st Test. #TeamIndia 91/0 (Rohit 52*, Mayank 39*)

Scorecard - https://t.co/67i9pBAKIR #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/z1Xg2OTCRo — BCCI (@BCCI) October 2, 2019

The Vizag track did not have much swing or seam for the South African new ball bowlers, helped the Indian openers to settle down and then step up the run rate with a wide array of shots. After the Proteas pacers went wicket-less in their opening spell, skipper Faf Du Plessis introduced his spin trio of Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy into the attack, but they too could not provide the opening breakthrough for the visitors. Rohit, who was entasked to open for the first time in the longer format, paid back the think tank with a well compiled half ton. The right handed opener struck two sixes and five boundaries to notch up his half century. He received good support from his opening partners Mayank Agarwal who amassed a patient 39 runs off 96 deliveries . Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first on what seemed to be a good strip for batting. Brief scores: India 91/0 at lunch (Rohit Sharma 52, Mayank Agarwal 39; Vernon Philander 0/19) Playing XIs India - Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami South Africa - Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn, Faf du Plessis (captain), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Vernon Philander, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Piedt