2nd Session Live Updates:
Dean Elgar has made sure to keep South Africa ahead in this Test match thanks to his 14th Test hundred at the SuperSport Park. The Proteas scored 140 runs for the loss of 2 wickets post lunch, and (194/3 at tea) are just 51 runs behind India (245) with one final session to go on Day 2.
Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in quick succession but Elgar and David Bedingham (32*) have been solid since and added 81 runs for the fourth wicket to drive the hosts under overcast conditions at Centurion.
India struck twice in quick succession thanks to Jasprit Bumrah's second spell in the post-lunch session. He got rid of Tony de Zorzi (28) and Keegan Petersen (5) to bring India back in the game after the latter put on 93 runs for the second wicket with Dean Elgar.
Dean Elgar and Tony Zorzi have been solid in their second wicket partnership after South Africa lost the early wicket of Aiden Markram in the 4th over. Elgar has got to his 24th Test fifty and already added 85 runs with Zorzi (24*).
1st Session Summary:
South Africa have managed to survive a tricky 45 minutes of play before the first break after bowling out India for 245 in their first innings.
The Proteas lost the early wicket of Aiden Markram (5) to Mohammad Siraj after which Dean Elgar (29*) and Tony de Zorzi (12*) weathered the storm against Jasprit Bumrah & Co. to take the team to 49 for 1 in 16 overs at lunch, with another 196 runs to go.
India have struck through Mohammad Siraj very early in South Africa's first innings as he bowled a perfect outswinger to Aiden Markram to dismiss the right-hander for 5 in the 4th over.
WICKET! KL Rahul b Nandre Burger 101 (137 balls). The centurion is the last batter to be dismissed in India's first innings.
India 245 All Out In 67.4 Overs At Centurion. KL Rahul (101), Rabada (5/59), Burger (3/50)
KL Rahul gets to his 8th Test hundred with a massive SIX off Gerald Coetzee. This is his second successive century at Centurion and in a Boxing Day Test after 2021.
India 107 for 5, in big big trouble, returning into the Test team, taking the Keeping role and he smashed a brilliant hundred while batting with lower order & tailenders - one of the most memorable knocks by an Indian in South Africa
The covers are off as the drizzle has stopped. Play will start at 10.25 am local time (2.05 pm IST)
Rain delays start of play once again in Centurion. There is a slight drizzle in the air although, the Indian players are warming up on the field despite the conditions. The pitch area remains under covers.
SA vs IND, 1st Test Day 2 Preview
The weather in Centurion will once again be in the spotlight as India resume their first innings on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park.
The visitors put on a fight on the opening day thanks to gritty knocks from KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to reach 208 for 8 before rain forced early stumps on Tuesday.
Rain to play spoilsport again
Constant showers are expected to disrupt the match throughout the day once again on Wednesday.
India were in a spot of bother at 24 for 3 due to the brilliant opening spells from Kagiso Rabada and Nandre Burger, before Kohli and Iyer steadied the ship with their 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
But both batters couldn't convert their starts into big scores and got out for 38 and 31 respectively.
Rahul comes to India's rescue at Centurion again
It was then left to Rahul to bat with the lower middle-order and the tail to take India past the 200-run mark. A score of around 250 should be competitive enough for India to have an edge in this Test as batting will be difficult even for the hosts due to the the pitch and weather conditions.
Rahul had scored a century at the same venue in the Boxing Day Test against the Proteas in 2021 and needs just 30 runs more to repeat history when he comes out to bat with Mohammed Siraj, who is yet to open his account.
