The opening day of the opening Test in the Freedom Trophy belonged to Rohit Sharma as he smashed an unbeaten century in his new role as an opener, wit India reaching 202/0 in the series curtain-raiser against South Africa in Vizag on Wednesday.
Rohit – a star of India’s limited-overs side – was at the crease on 115 with Mayank Agarwal on 84 after the hosts elected to bat in the first of the three Tests in Visakhapatnam.
A sudden thunder storm forced the umpires to call tea seven minutes early and no further play was possible after heavy rains lashed the coastal city.
Rohit completed his fourth Test century in the second session with a single off debutant spinner Senuran Muthusamy to raucous cheers from the home crowd and the dressing room. He hit five sixes and 12 fours from 174 balls and showed frequent glimpses of the form that has made him a feared one-day batsman.
Agarwal, like his opening partner, also used his feet to good effect against the South African spinners who struggled on the batting-friendly pitch.
Agarwal, playing his fifth Test since making his debut last year, raised his fourth half-century with a six off lead spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Both Rohit and Agarwal, who hit 11 fours and two sixes, took apart the opposition bowling in the second session of play as India scored 111 runs after taking lunch at 91-0.
Here are all the records set by the latest Indian opening pair on Wednesday:
[Inputs from AFP]
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