Elgar century thwarts India's chances after backup act flops

Pacer Bumrah gets breakthroughs but Krishna, Thakur fail to step up in support roles on Day 2

- Somshuvra Laha

You have put up 245, well aware it could have easily been way under without KL Rahul’s doughty batting. In front of you is a South Africa batting line-up without the injured Temba Bavuma and an aggregate experience of 13 Tests between Tony de Zorzi, Keegan Petersen and the debuting David Bedingham after openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar. This is Day 2 at Centurion—as overcast as it was on Tuesday—and within four overs, Markram is sent back. How South Africa went from there to 256/5 when bad light forced early close of play will not be a comfortable dissection for India.

There is no Mohammed Shami, and so logic dictates Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj should do bulk of the fast bowling, followed by Ravichandran Ashwin who at least can be stiflingly accurate if the pitch doesn’t assist any turn. And only after them should come Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna, preferably in that order.

The target is pretty straightforward: Get Elgar, and a sizeable lead is there for the taking. Only India found ways to undermine their position. Even on the best of days, Elgar is a bundle of nerves when he starts out—scratching around, getting pinged on the body regularly while trying to hang back as much as possible. The aim should be to draw him into a drive, an information that can’t be unknown to India.