Mayank Agarwal scores back to back hundreds as India end day-one at 273/3

Hyderabad: India’s opener Mayank Agarwal scored his second consecutive Test century against South Africa in the second test of the Freedom Trophy at Pune on Wednesday.

Coming off a maiden double hundred in the first test of the series, Mayank played in an excellent form as he took on the South-African pace attack from the beginning of the innings.

With fellow opener and the Man of the Match from the first test, Rohit Sharma, falling, Mayank took the responsibility of the innings alongside Cheteshwar Pujara. They built a crucial 100-run partnership for the second wicket. In this process, Mayank was also hit on the helmet by debutant Adam Nortje after which he smashed him for four boundaries.

On reaching 87, he then hit Keshav Maharaj for two consecutive sixes down the ground to reach 99. He then played a cut shot to the boundary and reached his second consecutive hundred in test matches. Later, he was caught by South African skipper Faf Du Plessis off Kagiso Rabada on 108. This century knock included 16 boundaries and two sixes.

That's another fine century from @mayankcricket 🙌👌 pic.twitter.com/6jWSOKwMUg

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 10, 2019

After Mayank’s departure, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane took control over the innings. Kohli brought up a brilliant half-century in his 50th test as Captain. Rahane and Kohli ended the day’s play ahead of the scheduled time due to bad light. The light metre showed insufficient light to continue the day’s play.

The day belonged to India as they ended on 273/3 with Kohli playing on 63 and Rahane on 18. Kagiso Rabada was the only successful bowler for South Africa with all three wickets falling in his kitty.

It will be interesting to see how Kohli and Ajinkya take the Indian innings ahead with the South African pacers looking to attack upfront.