By Amlan Chakraborty
KOLKATA, India (Reuters) -India overcame a top-order wobble to reach 138 for four and stay on course for a first-innings lead on day two of the opening test against South Africa on Saturday.
Home captain Shubman Gill retired hurt on four but is expected to bat later.
Ravindra Jadeja was batting on 11 at the lunch break with Dhruv Jurel on five, replying to South Africa’s first innings total of 159.
Resuming on their overnight score of 37 for one, India looked determined to see through the opening hour.
Washington Sundar (29) hit Keshav Maharaj for a six but could not carry on and was caught at slip off Simon Harmer’s bowling.
Gill opened his account with a four but immediately walked off the field with what appeard a neck strain.
Returning from a foot injury that kept him out of the home series against West Indies, Rishabh Pant (27) had the South Africa players on their toes right after he walked in.
Pant was surprised by a leaping Maharaj delivery, which he guided towards slip where Aiden Markram was too startled to react in time and take the catch.
Pant rubbed salt into Maharaj’s wound by stepping out to the next ball and hitting it for a six over mid-off.
The spinner found some solace when he had KL Rahul (39) caught at slip but Pant scored freely.
Corbin Bosch brought relief to the South Africa camp when he dismissed Pant caught behind with a bouncer.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; Editing by Tom Hogue)
