CENTURION: Indian captain Virat Kohli stood firm against a relentless South African bowling attack on an attritional second day of the second Test at SuperSport Park on Sunday.

Kohli made 85 not out as India reached 183 for five at the close in reply to South Africa’s first-innings total of 335.

It was tough going for both batsmen and bowlers on a slow pitch on a hot day. Kohli made his runs off 130 balls with eight fours.

South Africa’s four fast bowlers operated in short spells while spinner Keshav Maharaj bowled a lengthy spell and broke the biggest stand of the innings when he had Murali Vijay caught behind for 46.

Vijay and Kohli put on 79 for the third wicket after two wickets fell in two balls with the total on 28, with Lokesh Rahul falling to a sharp return catch to Morne Morkel and Cheteshwar Pujara being run out attempting a single off the first ball he faced.

Pujara played Morkel to mid-on and set off for a run. New cap Lungi Ngidi made good ground, slid to pick up the ball and hit the stumps at the bowler’s end from a prone position.

The powerfully built Ngidi was one of four bowlers to take a wicket each.

He built up impressive pace, with one delivery timed at 150.5 km/h.

Having come close to dismissing Kohli leg before wicket -- the Indian captain was saved by a faint inside edge on a ball which was crashing into his stumps — he had Parthiv Patel caught behind.

Earlier, South African captain Faf du Plessis made 63 before the hosts were bowled out for 335.

Du Plessis battled for 217 minutes and faced 142 balls before he was ninth man out, bowled when he went for a big hit against Ishant Sharma.

South Africa added 66 runs to their overnight 269 for six.

Sharma took two of the four wickets that fell, finishing with three for 46, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ash­win took four for 113.

India dropped three catches, all off Ashwin. Kagiso Rabada, who made 11, was dropped by a diving Kohli at slip when he had one, with the batsman taking two runs.

He was then put down at point off the next ball when Hardik Pandya was obstructed by fellow fieldsman Mohammed Shami.

Du Plessis was dropped by wicket-keeper Patel off Ashwin when he had 54.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 269-6):

D. Elgar c Vijay b Ashwin 31

A.K. Markram c Patel b Ashwin 94

H.M. Amla run out 82

A.B. de Villiers b I. Sharma 20

F. du Plessis b I. Sharma 63

Q. de Kock c Kohli b Ashwin 0

V.D. Philander run out 0

K.A. Maharaj c Patel b Shami 18

K. Rabada c Pandya b I. Sharma 11

M. Morkel c Vijay b Ashwin 6

L. Ngidi not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-8, NB-1) 9

TOTAL (all out, 113.5 overs) 335

FALL OF WKTS: 1-85, 2-148, 3-199, 4-246, 5-250, 6-251, 7-282, 8-324, 9-333.

BOWLING: Bumrah 22-6-60-0 (1nb); Mohammed Shami 15-2-58-1; I. Sharma 22-4-46-3; Pandya 16-4-50-0; Ashwin 38.5-10-113-4.

INDIA (1st Innings):

M. Vijay c de Kock b Maharaj 46

K.L. Rahul c and b Morkel 10

C.A. Pujara run out 0

V. Kohli not out 85

R.G. Sharma lbw b Rabada 10

P.A. Patel c de Kock b Ngidi 19

H.H. Pandya not out 11

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1) 2

TOTAL (for five wkts, 61 overs) 183

FALL OF WKTS: 1-28, 2-28, 3-107, 4-132, 5-164.

TO BAT: R. Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, I. Sharma, J.J. Bumrah.

BOWLING (to-date): Maharaj 16-1-53-1; Morkel 15-3-47-1; Philander 9-3-23-0; Rabada 12-0-33-1; Ngidi 9-2-26-1 (1w).

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2018