Agencies
Bangalore, Nov 14: He was on the verge of emulating seven others who got tons in their 100th Tests. However, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers (85, 105b, 11×4, 1×6) fell to a dubious third umpire referral as the Indians dominated all the three sessions of the second Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here Saturday.
Putting the visitors in after winning the toss, the Virat Kohli-led India, dismissed the opposition for 214 with Ravi Ashwin (4/70) and Ravindra Jadeja (4/51) being the chief destructors. And then with Sikhar Dhawan (45 batting, 62b, 7×4) finally finding some form with the bat, the hosts raced to 80 without loss at stumps to stamp their authority on the game. Giving Dhawan company was the in-form Murali Vijay (28 batting, 73b, 5×4).
But more than that, the dismissal of De Villiers who was batting serenely, will be much more talked about. The ICC clamps down with disciplinary actions on cricketers criticising umpires. But what would it do to an erring umpire who robs a batsman of a century in his 100th Test.
De Villiers had proceeded to 85 when he was beaten in flight by a ball from Jadeja. The delivery allegedly hit his body, brushing his glove before lobbing up. From behind the stumps, Wriddhiman Saha dived forward to complete a brilliant one-handed catch. TV replays (which Richard Kettleborough) referred to could not clearly show whether the ball had brushed De Villiers’ glove. It was also inconclusive as to whether Saha had taken the catch cleanly. Yet TV umpire C Shamsuddin ruled in favour of a ‘clean catch’ and De Villiers started his long trek back to the pavilion.
Other than De Villiers’ effort, the rest of the South African batsmen failed to stand up to spin twins, Ashwin and Jadeja, both of whom were backed up by some superb close catching by Cheteshwar Pujara at short-leg and Ajinkya Rahane in the slips. Pujara gobbled up two sharp chances off Jadeja to send back Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada while Rahane took a beauty off Ashwin, low down, to see the back of JP Duminy. The only batsman other than ABD to resist the Indian spinners was Dean Elgar (38, 81b, 2×4, 1×6). But after doing all the hard work he dragged a Jadeja delivery on to his stumps while trying to sweep.
However, the ball of the day came out of the hands of Varun Aaron who squared up Hashim Amla to have the South African skipper bowled. It was fast bowling at its best.
As expected India replaced Umesh Yadav with Ishant Sharma, but what was unexpected was the axing of Amit Mishra to include local man Stuart Binny. For South Africa pacers Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott came in place of the injured Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander while Duminy replaced Simon Harmer.
