South Africa had an 11-run lead over India after scoring 256 runs for the loss of five wickets on day two of the first Test match at SuperSport Park on Wednesday. 

The innings was largely held together by the retiring Dean Elgar, who was unbeaten on 140. 

It has been a majestic innings by Elgar, who announced he would retire after the two-match series against India.  

‘Majestic’ is not often a word used to describe the batter, whose efforts with the willow are often exemplified through a tenacious will to not give his wicket away. 

But in his final Test match at his home ground in Centurion, where he plays his domestic cricket for the Titans, Elgar played with a fluency and elegance rarely seen by the former captain. 

Dean Elgar of South Africa reaches his 14th career century during Day 2 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park on 27 December 2023 in Centurion, South Africa. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)

Elgar’s 14th career century saw the gritty batter strike the ball sweetly to the fence on 23 occasions, with his cover drive the pick of his strokes. The 36-year-old brought up his ton with a trademark pull in front of square in only 140 deliveries.  

It was Elgar’s first century since striking 127 against Sri Lanka in January 2021. 

Elgar’s attacking and free-flowing approach epitomises the aggressive approach head coach Shukri Conrad has tried to implement in the red-ball side since taking the reins at the start of the year. 

Keegan Petersen (2) and Kyle Verreynne (4), contrary to Elgar, were examples of what the attacking philosophy looks like when it goes wrong.  

Both players, coming in at No 4 and 6, respectively, faced seven deliveries and it was a shot-per-ball by the pair as they flashed dismally at wide deliveries. 

Petersen dragged a Jasprit Bumrah delivery back on to his stumps, while Verreynne caught a thin edge to give Prasidh Krishna his maiden Test match wicket. 

Jasprit Bumrah of India during Day 2 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park on 27 December 2023 in Centurion, South Africa. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)

Rahul rumbles on 

At the start of the day, KL Rahul (101) continued where he left off the previous day as the sole shining light with the bat for India.  

The wicketkeeper-batter struck a couple of lusty sixes in the morning to help him reach an eighth Test ton before he was cleaned up by Nandre Burger, who ended his first bowling innings in Test cricket with three wickets for 50 runs in 15.4 overs.  

Before that, Gerald Coetzee picked up the other wicket, that of Mohammed Siraj (5), as India ended their first innings on 245. 

David Bedingham of South Africa batting during Day 2 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park on 27 December 2023 in Centurion, South Africa. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)

Bedingham brilliance 

Aiden Markram (5) was undone by a brilliant Siraj outswinger early in the Proteas’ innings as the SuperSport Park wicket continued to assist fast bowling in the morning session.  

India’s bowlers, led by Bumrah and Siraj, hit tight lines and lengths, but Tony de Zorzi (28) and Elgar battled hard to get South Africa to 49 for the loss of only one wicket at lunch.  

After the break, when the wicket had a roll and some sun, the pitch seemed to play better for the batters and Elgar began to open his shoulders. 

De Zorzi and, largely, Elgar, went at over five runs to the over after lunch, putting on an excellent 93-run third-wicket stand.  

After Bumrah got rid of De Zorzi and Petersen in consecutive overs, South Africa quickly went from 104 for the loss of one to 113 with three wickets down.  

But up stepped David Bedingham (56) on his international Test debut. The Western Province man immediately looked like he belonged at the highest level, effortlessly pumping two massive sixes into the square-leg boundary off his hip. 

There were seven sublime fours in his knock too as he and Elgar put together a 131-run partnership off only 182 balls. Their efforts moved the match forward in South Africa’s favour in the last two sessions. 

But once Siraj cleaned up Bedingham and Verreynne fell the following over, South Africa’s dominant day started to unravel. 

Marco Jansen saw out the final few overs alongside Elgar as the umpires called play off early again due to bad light. 

It is still unclear whether Proteas’ captain Temba Bavuma will bat in the Test match following his hamstring injury on day one.  

Play will get under way at 10am on Thursday with South Africa hoping to extend their lead as much as possible before having to bowl again. DM