When the going got gets tough someone has to pull his sleeves up. Hardik Pandya has done the same for Team India when every other teammate found it hard to cope with a fearsome bowling attack of South Africa. He brought up a well-fought half-century in just 46 balls.
India was in some serious trouble at the stumps of day one but Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma tried to steady the ship, they managed to do the same but only till latter threw his start away. Everyone was struggling and then came Hardik Pandya with all guns blazing. He edged his first ball to the boundary ropes, which was the lone error in a sparkling innings.
Pandya found a trustable partner in form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and both put a remarkable 99-run stand for the 8th wicket. Bhuvi managed 26 runs in the process but fell to a Morne Morkel’s away going delivery.
He misses out on a hundred, but Hardik Pandya's fighting innings has kept India alive in the Cape Town Testhttps://t.co/1Z0MagRix8 #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/7lIgx2HeHT
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 6, 2018
Hardik had his share of luck during his innings as he got two reprieves, first dropped by Dean Elger on 16 and then Quinton de Kock missed a simple stumping chance curtsy extra bounce.
Pandya was unlucky as he couldn’t complete his second Test century despite showing the great character of a Test batsman. He got out for 93 in 95 balls to Kagiso Rabada, who troubled him with some furious bouncers. His efforts deny a mammoth lead to South Africa as India was reeling on 92/7.
