India, Test squad
India celebrates its wicket. (Image Credit: BCCI Twitter)

India has put themselves in a commanding position on the penultimate day of the first Test match at Visakhapatnam against South Africa. The hosts’ racked up 323-4 in their second innings as Rohit Sharma scored his second hundred of the Test match. Consequently, the Virat Kohli-led gave an imposing target of 395 runs to the Proteas.

Read More: India vs South Africa 2019: Ravichandran Ashwin 1 Wicket Away From Equaling Muttiah Muralitharan’s World Record

Furthermore, the hosts were able to take the wicket of the first-innings centurion, Dean Elgar to add to the visitors’ wounds. Ravindra Jadeja was able to plumb the southpaw batsman in front of the wickets and Kohli had to go upstairs to reverse the on-field umpire’s call.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma. BCCI Twitter

India had a fine day.

Meanwhile, India was able to wrap up the South African innings on 431 runs. Senuran Mathuswamy and Kagiso Rabada were able to frustrate the Indian bowling. Ravichandran Ashwin finished with seven wickets to be the pick of the Indian bowlers.

On the other hand, India’s first innings double centurion Mayank Agarwal could not get going as he was dismissed cheaply for seven runs. However, Rohit Sharma continued his first innings form as he kept churning out the runs. The right-hander added a gargantuan alliance of 169 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara for the second wicket.

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Pujara who could not score big in the first innings scored a fine knock of 81 runs before he was plumbed in front by Vernon Philander. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma became the first batsman to score seven consecutive fifties in the Indian conditions.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma. BCCI Twitter

Furthermore, the right-hander also brought his fifth century and his second of the Test match. Consequently, Rohit also bagged another record to his name as he became the first batsman to score two centuries in the history of Test cricket while opening for the first time.

South Africa ended Day four at 11-1 and they still need another 384 runs to pull off a miraculous win. However, more realistically India requires another nine scalps to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Day’s 4 play:

https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1180448293534552064?s=20

https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/1180438015824601088?s=20

Gautam Chauhan

Cricket is my first love. I want to be a Wordsmith. I want to weave magic with my words.