Rahul leads India to 208-8 against South Africa at stumps in 1st test. Rabada takes 5-44

CENTURION, South Africa (AP) — Rain brought an early end to the opening day of the first test between South Africa and India at Centurion on Tuesday with the visitors 208-8 in 59 overs at stumps.

Lokesh Rahul was 70 not out, with 10 fours and two sixes, when play was halted with only nine overs bowled in the final session.

His half-century was able to rescue India from a precarious 121-6 as South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada took 5-44 in 17 overs – his 14th five-wicket haul in tests.

India resumed at 91-3 after lunch and lost Shreyas Iyer (31) in the first over after the break.

Rabada broke Iyer’s 68-run partnership with Virat Kohli, after the pair had revived the Indian innings in the morning session.

He then sent back Kohli as well — caught behind for 38 — with a beautiful outswinger nicking off the star batter.

India was down to 107-5 in 31 overs at that point and lost Ravichandran Ashwin for eight only four overs later.

Rahul, though, held one end together and strung an important partnership with Shardul Thakur before tea.

Rahul, who was dropped as test opener earlier in March, made his comeback as a middle-order batter and notched 50 off 80 balls. He hit seven fours and two sixes to get to his milestone, and hit another three boundaries before rain intervened.

Thakur braved a barrage of short stuff from the South Africa pacers, and was hit on the helmet. He scored 24 off 33 balls, with three fours.

In all, Rahul and Thakur added 43 off 68 balls for the seventh wicket. India went to tea at 176-7.

Play then resumed for a bit before the players were taken off the field owing to poor light, and the rain then intervened.

Earlier, India struggled in the morning session after South Africa won the toss and opted to field in overcast conditions.

India stumbled to 24-3 in 11.1 overs with skipper Rohit Sharma (5) the first to go as he was caught pulling to fine leg for five runs off Rabada.

Yashasvi Jaiswal managed 17 before edging behind off Nandre Burger (2-50), who then had Shubman Gill caught behind for two.

Kohli and Iyer were then both dropped on four and used their reprieves to steady the Indian ship.

The pair settled in to hit seven fours and a six between them to put on 50 off 71 balls to get India to the lunch break.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket