The second Test between India and South Africa hasn’t been without its fair share of action and controversies. The game is on an even keel after two days’ play with India leading by 58 runs at stumps on the second day.
Stand-in skipper KL Rahul was in the thick of action all day and got involved in a heated exchange with opposite number Dean Elgar after his dismissal.
After scoring just eight in the second innings, Rahul was out edging Marco Jansen to the slips. The Indian skipper was heading back to the pavilion but then he seemed to have heard something from the South African players in a huddle. Rahul looked upset with what he had heard and is seen saying something back to the hosts, prompting a response from Elgar too.
The exchange continued for a brief period of time as Rahul walked towards the pavilion. The video of the dismissal soon went viral on social media.
Here’s the video of heated exchange between KL Rahul and Dean Elgar…
Rahul and Elgar have an exchange. Not a pleasant one by the looks of it #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/whSm16T8gv
— Benaam Baadshah (@BenaamBaadshah4) January 4, 2022
Rahul was caught in the second slip but he wasn’t given out straightaway. He didn’t walk off directly and let the umpires check if the catch was taken cleanly with the help of the third umpire.
In the first innings, South African batsman Rassie van der Dussen was a part of a similar incident where Rishabh Pant had dived in front. While Van der Dussen had walked off directly, replays showed that the ball seemed to have bumped on the ground before Pant got hold of it.
South Africa batter Keegan Petersen has said that he does not want to add to the controversy surrounding Rassie van der Dussen’s dismissal in the first innings. “I don’t really want to comment on that. That’s the umpire’s decision. I think we’re in the game and we just have to take the decisions, no matter what we think. Some are going to go your way, some aren’t,” Petersen said in a virtual press conference at the end of Day 2.
Shardul Thakur picked seven wickets as South Africa was bundled out for 229 in the first innings of the second Test on Tuesday. “I think it’s going to be tough for the rest of the Test match and pitch is definitely not getting better. We haven’t put a number to it yet but the more runs India get, the more difficult is going to be for us to get,” said Petersen.
(with ANI inputs)
