Opener Rohit Sharma hit his third century of the series to lead India’s charge after they lost early wickets against South Africa on a rain-curtailed opening day in the third Test on Saturday.
Sharma combined with Ajinkya Rahane to produce a counterattack after the hosts were wobbling at 39/3 following their decision to bat first in Ranchi.
Bad light stopped play when the hosts were 224/3 in the final session of the opening day. That was followed by a spell of rain that meant stumps were drawn early.
India lost opener Mayank Agarwal (10), Cheteshwar Pujara (0) and skipper Virat Kohli (12) in the morning session after electing to bat.
Sharma (117*), who scored two centuries in the opening Test in Visakhapatnam, and vice captain Rahane (83*) have added 185 runs in the unfinished fourth wicket partnership.
India reached 205/3 at tea with Sharma and Rahane making sure they denied the opposition bowlers any wickets in the second session.
Kagiso Rabada struck twice in a fiery first spell and fellow paceman Anrich Nortje claimed his maiden Test wicket after getting India skipper Kohli trapped lbw for 12.
Sharma, who hit twin centuries in his debut game as an opening batsman at the start of the three-match series, then steadied the innings along with Rahane, who completed his 21st Test fifty.
Sharma played it cool till his fifty and soon launched an attack with a barrage of sixes, reaching his sixth Test hundred with his fourth hit over the fence amid loud applause from the home crowd.
Earlier, Rabada nearly got his third when Sharma was judged lbw by the on-field umpire when the opener was on seven.
But Sharma successfully reviewed the decision as replays clearly showed the batsman got an inside edge off the bat before the ball hit the pads.
Kohli reviewed a leg-before call but tracking technology showed the ball would have grazed the leg stump.
After losing nine coin tosses in consecutive matches, Proteas captain Faf du Plessis brought on his deputy Temba Bavuma to end the poor run. It was not enough and South Africa lost its 10th flip on the trot in Asian Tests – the third of the series.
(With agency inputs)
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