Sports / Indian openers share 300-run partnership for third time in Test history

Mayank Agarwal slammed his maiden Test ton on day 2 of the first Test against South Africa on Thursday at Visakhapatnam. Mayank joined his partner Rohit Sharma, who had struck his maiden Test ton as an opener on Wednesday as India continued to pile on the misery of the South Africans. With Mayank’s century, the newly-formed Indian opening pair became a part of history.

Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma became the first opening pair in the world to score centuries against South Africa. This also became the highest opening partnership in all India-South Africa Tests surpassing 236 between Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hudson in Kolkata in 1996/97. Mayank and Rohit achieved the feat in 73rd over when India 259 for no loss.

Rohit and Mayank became the first Indian opening pair to register a 300-run partnership against South Africa. This was the third time an Indian opening pair put on a 300-run stand. The record stand was finally broken when Rohit Sharma was stumped off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for 176 - only 1 short of his highest Test score - as India lost their first wicket for 317.

They also became the first Indian opening pair to score centuries on their maiden Test on home soil. Mayank and Rohit’s twin centuries was 10th occasion when both Indian openers scored centuries in the same innings. The last time it was Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay against Afghanistan in 2018.

Agarwal and Sharma’s opening stand is a new record against South Africa for India, surpassing the 218-run partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag in 2004 at Kanpur.

India resumed the day at 202 for no loss after rain had washed out the last session’s play.

Agarwal, playing his fifth Test since making his debut last year, received a hug from opening partner Rohit Sharma who struck a century in his first outing as Test opener on Wednesday.

Agarwal has handled the Proteas’ bowling attack with aplomb, especially the spinners, hitting 13 fours and two sixes.

After the end of the day’s play, Mayank asked Rohit about his views on smashing a ton in his debut game as India opener to which he replied: “I’m happy with the way things went out in the middle and knew if once we play few overs, it was on us to take the game forward. Because unless you make mistakes in these kind of wickets, you are not going to get out. So, ideally once you are in, the focus is on rotating the strike which we did pretty well and allowed us to bat the way we wanted to.”

Captain Virat Kohli elected to bat after winning the toss at the start of the three-match series.