In an impressive display of resilience and technical prowess, South Africa tightened their hold over the ongoing Boxing Day Test against India on the second day of play. Wednesday, December 27 saw Dean Elgar, the stoic former Proteas Test captain, deliver a masterclass in batting, carving his 14th century in the longest format of the game. As the teams retired for the day, Elgar stood unbeaten at 140, securing for his team a slender yet psychologically significant 11 run lead over the visitors.
KL Rahul gave India’s innings some semblance of respectability earlier in the day. Resuming at an overnight score of 208 for 7, India expected Rahul to anchor the innings, which he did with considerable aplomb. Dispelling doubts and rising to the situation with a superbly crafted Test ton, his eighth, Rahul showed aggressive intent without recklessness. His valiant 123 added admiration to what transpired to be a total of 245 runs—a modest score but one that gave the Indian bowlers a window of opportunity.
With the pitch showing signs of settling down and easing out for batting, South Africa took their chance to assert dominance. Mohammed Siraj made an early breakthrough, dismissing Aiden Markram, providing India a glimmer of hope. But standing firm between India and a chance at resurgence was Elgar. Crafting a resilient, chanceless knock, Elgar weathered the Indian bowling attack with an air of permanence.
However, Elgar was not alone in his resistance. The unflappable Tony de Zorzi first, and later the debutant David Bedingham, buttressed South Africa’s innings. Bedingham, in particular, acquitted himself well with a display of skill that belied his inexperience. Admirably confident in both defence and offence, Bedingham lent solid support and helped South Africa maintain the momentum at several critical junctures.
India, never a side to roll over, found a ray of hope as Jasprit Bumrah managed to dismiss both de Zorzi and Keegan Petersen in quick succession. The twin strikes hinted at a possible comeback, only for Elgar’s relentless bat to deny any further inroads. As wickets fell around him, Elgar remained an island of calm domination, unbeaten on 140 at the end of the day, with Marco Jansen as his partner.
The South African batting line-up had more moments to cheer for. Bedingham’s innings came to an end with Siraj’s lethal inswinger opening him up. Prasidh Krishna, India’s debutante paceman, also had a moment of glory when he claimed his maiden Test wicket in the form of Kyle Verreynne. Yet, the day decidedly belonged to Elgar, whose vigil ensured South Africa ended the day ahead, albeit by a whisker.
Looking forward to Day 3, India will have aspirations of quickly wrapping up the tailenders and potentially corralling the lead to under 50 runs. That said, the equation may change if Temba Bavuma, nursing an injury, doesn’t bat. With South Africa effectively standing at six wickets down for 256, the Test match hangs in a fine balance with Elgar’s resoluteness pitted against India’s tenacity and knack for scripting comebacks.
While this Test unfolds with its gripping narratives, the larger picture of Test cricket’s endurance as a format continues to be fortified by performances like these. Battling conditions, adversity, and high-pressure situations, players like Elgar and Rahul transcend the mere statistics to remind fans of the game’s classic allure. As both teams regroup and reenergize for the next day of play, the hope of victory remains alive, fuelling the competitive spirit that is the hallmark of Test cricket.
