VISAKHAPATNAM, India, Oct 3, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Opener Mayank Agarwal
completed a double century on Thursday to put India on course for a mammoth
first innings score in the opening Test against South Africa.
Agarwal, who completed his maiden Test hundred early on day two, reached
200 in the afternoon session to earn a standing ovation in the Visakhapatnam
stadium.
India were 419 for three in 116 overs with the 28-year-old Agarwal, on
202, batting alongside Ajinkya Rahane, on 11.
Agarwal put on a record 317-run opening stand with opening partner Rohit
Sharma to set the tone for India’s dominance at the start of the three-match
series.
Playing in just his fifth Test, the right-handed Agarwal has smashed six
sixes and 22 fours in 361 balls faced so far.
Sharma fell for 176, stumped off Keshav Maharaj before lunch, and India
then lost two cheap wickets. Cheteshwar Pujara went for six and skipper Virat
Kohli for 20.
Paceman Vernon Philander bowled Pujara on the first delivery of the second
session. Debutant spinner Seruran Muthusamy got Kohli caught and bowled as
his maiden Test wicket.
But Agarwal stayed firm to pile pressure on the South African bowlers in a
session extended to make up for time lost to a thunderstorm on Wednesday.