It has been a Test series to savour for the Indian cricket team opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal as they have dominated proceedings on most occasions and most South Africa bowlers have looked quite helpless against their flamboyant batting. Both openers were in supreme form in the first two matches of the series and they were both able to score two centuries each as India cruised to victory on both occasions. During the third Test encounter in Ranchi, Agarwal missed out on a big score but Rohit was back at it as he slammed his third ton of the series and as a result, achieved a feat that has never happened in the storied cricketing history of India.
This is now the most centuries scored by Indian openers in a Test series since they started playing cricket way back in 1932. This is the first time ever that the batsmen have scored five centuries in a series as the previous record was held by Sunil Gavaskar who single-handedly scored four tons against West Indies in 1971.
Most 100s by India’s openers in a series:
5* vs South Africa 2019/20 (H)
4 vs West Indies 1970/71 (A)
4 vs West Indies 1978/79 (H)
4 vs Sri Lanka 2009/10 (H)
Rohit went on to smash 4 sixes and 13 fours to bring up his third hundred of the series. He had previously scored two Test tons in the first Test, which was his first match as an opener in the longest format. Doing so, Sharma joined an elite list which features the legendary Test batsman Sunil Gavaskar.
He also became only the 2nd Indian opener to score three or more hundreds in a Test series. The only other Indian opener to do so was Gavaskar, who had done it thrice in his career.
India reached 224-3 at stumps after bad light and rain forced an early end to the first day of the third Test.
Rohit Sharma is unbeaten on 117 after scoring his third hundred in this series. He has shared 185 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket with Ajinkya Rahane, who is 83 not out.
The evening session lasted only 30 minutes before umpires took players off the field due to bad light. Rain arrived a few minutes later, and play was called off at around 4 p.m. local time.
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