South Africa vs India 2018: 2nd Test, day 1, 5 things we learnt

Half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla helped South Africa get off to a fine start on day 1 although three late wickets gave India the momentum in the second Test at Centurion. Buoyed by a flat track, South Africa surged to a fine start after winning the toss, courtesy the openers who put on 85. A freak dismissal ended Elgar's stay at the crease but Markram carried on to the nineties.

Ashwin dismissed the steady Markram and Ishant Sharma had AB de Villiers chopping on to pull back the Proteas. Amla and Faf du Plessis looked like they would take South Africa to stumps but a direct hit from Pandya sent Amla on his way. Ashwin then had de Kock caught behind for a golden duck to pull things back late in the day.

#5 India spring another selection surprise

Kohli once again gambled on the final XI

After the bizarre decision to sit out Ajinkya Rahane and Lokesh Rahul in the first Test, Virat Kohli sprung another surprise when he kept out India's best bowler at Cape Town, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Meerut swing bowler also faced the most number of balls by an Indian in the first Test and as such, the decision to keep him out made little sense.

Rahul returned in place of Dhawan in what was a welcome move and amidst all the rumours, Parthiv Patel replaced Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps, but only because the latter carried an injury. Bhuvneshwar's omission was met with a lot of criticism on social media.

If Kohli was SA’s skipper, he would’ve dropped Philander for this Test. #Bhuvi #SAvIND

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) January 13, 2018

#4 Aiden Markram thrives on home ground

Markram appeared in fine touch on day 1 at Centurion

The Titans openers, Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar, playing on their home ground, made full use of pristine batting conditions to put on a spirited 85 run stand. Markram was in ominous touch and dispatched anything too full or too short to race to a half-century. The right-hander scored runs all around the wicket, and played spin and pace with equal ease.

He has had a great start to his Test career and although he missed out at Cape Town, came roaring back to form here at Centurion. However, after showing precise judgement against Ashwin, Markram fell to the off-spinner seven short of what would have been a fine hundred.

#3 Centurion pitch offers Ravichandran Ashwin something

Ashwin found some turn and bounce on day one

In a rather weird turn of events, South Africa opted to prepare a slow, flat surface at Centurion with little in it for the seamers. Opting to bat, South Africa found the going fairly easy until Ravichandran Ashwin came into the attack. The wily off-spinner gave a miserly 8 runs in his first eight overs and got rid of the resolute Dean Elgar courtesy a smart change in length.

He bowled 17 overs on the trot from one end before he was given a break close to tea. Ashwin appeared more in control than his previous overseas outings and after the tea break got rid of the thriving Markram with another good delivery. He was India's best bowler on the day.

#2 Hashim Amla overcomes shoddy form with sublime knock

Hashim Amla overcame a rut to put India in trouble

Hashim Amla started off shoddily against Ravichandran Ashwin but soon got into his groove with some wristy shots and sublime drives. The no.3 batsman has a woeful record against India in South Africa but defied odds on a good surface to make a fine half-century. He had good company in Aiden Markram and then AB de Villiers but even as both departed, Amla remained rock solid for the hosts.

He earned a reprieve early in the innings when Parthiv Patel put down a chance diving to his left off an edge down the leg-side. Amla made use of his chance and went on to hurt India with knock that has defined the batsman over the years. A direct hit from Hardik Pandya cut short his bid to make a hundred.

#1 Slow pitch douses expectations

Mohammed Shami wasn't at his sharpest

After a rip-roaring opening Test at Newlands, expectations were sky high for the Centurion Test but all of that died down at the toss as the captains had a glance at a rather brown-tinged surface. It was an obvious choice to bat first, particularly with the venue seeing the team batting first (in India-South Africa matches) winning the last five contests.

The enticing, captivating first Test was quickly forgotten as the second Test started off on a dour note. But on a pitch aiding spin a tad, the second innings will be interesting, particularly with both teams boasting good batting line-ups and good spinners.