India vs South Africa 2019, 2nd Test: Three talking points from day 2

India and South Africa are currently locking horns in the second Test at Pune. The first Test of the three-match series was won convincingly by India and they are on track to prevail once again.

Continuing on at their overnight score of 273-3, India amassed a massive 601-5 declared. This formidable score was compiled thanks to Virat Kohli’s textbook 254 not out and Ravindra Jadeja’s valuable 91 runs.

Umesh Yadav (playing his first test since December 2018) then took two quick wickets to leave the South Africans on 36-3 at stumps.

It was certainly a highly-entertaining day of cricket. Without further ado, here are three talking points from day two.

#3 Rabada and Philander’s testing spell

Philander was Rabada's partner in crime on day two

Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander are two world-class bowlers. Although they operate in two completely different ways, both have a patent knack of testing a batsman’s ability.

This is precisely what occurred in the first 45 minutes of the day’s play.

The batsmen were Virat Kohli and Ajinka Rahane. It was an absorbing duel between the bowlers and batsmen and it had the fans’ eyes glued to the action.

Rabada and Philander put in a lion-hearted effort. They bowled the majority of their deliveries on a fifth stump line, giving the batsmen no respite, hoping to lure the pair into playing a false shot. But Kohli and Rahane did not take the bait and left most of the deliveries. They were very disciplined with their decision-making, even when the runs dried up and the pressure mounted (Rahane was 0 off 16 balls at one stage).

Eight overs into the day, Rabada was taken out of the attack and the mini-battle was won by India.

Kohli and Rahane went on to accrue a match-winning partnership of 178 runs.

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#2 Virat Kohli’s stunning 254 not out

One of the hallmarks of Virat Kohli’s batting is his appetite for runs. He is never satisfied upon reaching a century and often converts it into a double hundred. In fact, Kohli already has seven 200-plus scores to his name (the fourth most in test history).

The latest one came on Friday at Pune. The innings, which finished on 254 not out, was decorated with several glorious front-foot drives.

Kohli came to the crease with the score on 163-2. He experienced a sedate start (4 runs off 24 balls) while he got used to the pitch.

But then the shackles broke. Keshav Maharaj, South Africa’s front-line spinner, bowled a marginally short ball in the 60th over and Kohli pounced on it, cutting it for four. Five over-throws followed soon after, which only compounded South Africa’s misery.

Kohli never looked back. He was especially destructive once he had reached 200 runs (off 295 balls). For instance, the 30-year-old waltzed down the pitch in the 150th over and connected with the meaty part of the bat, sending the ball soaring into the crowd.

He played the spinners with assurance and smashed their short balls for several boundaries.

Kohli’s 254 was a big talking point of day two.

#1 South Africa's three early wickets

India enjoyed a superb last hour of the day. They captured three South African wickets in only 15 overs as Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami ran amok with the new ball.

Having declared on a huge first-innings total, India entered the field in an upbeat mood.

It did not take them long to make the first breakthrough. Yadav emerged as India’s hero when he trapped Aiden Markram (0 runs) LBW in the second over. Soon after, Dean Elgar played a ball onto his stumps, to make the score 13-2.

Boosted by these dismissals, Kohli put in four slips and a gully in anticipation of an outside edge. The move paid dividends when Temba Bavuma, the new batsman, received a brilliant ball from Shami and edged it to wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha, who took a safe catch.

South Africa was now in a whole lot of trouble on 33-3.

The batting side must pull up their socks today if they want to remain series contenders.