India 181/1 as bad light stops play
Durban: Opener Murali Vijay marked his return to form with a fluent unbeaten 91 as India gained early control of the series-deciding second Test against South Africa with a solid batting display here on Thursday.
Vijay, who had not managed to get a big score for some time now, was just nine runs short of what could be his fourth Test century as the visitors reached a comfortable 181 for one before bad light stopped play at Kingsmead.
Vijay found an able ally in Cheteshwar Pujara (batting 58) as the duo stitched an unfinished 140-run second wicket partnership to wrest the initiative from the South Africans, who toiled hard on an unresponsive pitch.
Electing to bat, the Indians lost Shikar Dhawan (29) early but Vijay and Pujara, who scored 153 in the epic drawn Test in Johannesburg, ensured that they did not suffer any further damage by batting cautiously.
Coming out to bat post tea, the two batsmen had disappointment in store as only eight overs were bowled in the final session of play before bad light interrupted the proceedings, eventually forcing the umpires to call off the remaining day’s play. (PTI)