IND vs SA: KL Rahul, Mayank join elite list of cricketers after 117-run opening stand

India’s opening pair of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, in the first Test match between India and South Africa, which started on Boxing Day at the SuperSport Park listed their name in a unique list of records by scoring 117 runs for the first wicket partnership. India opted to bat first after winning the toss, and Mayank Agarwal walked out to the middle alongside KL Rahul.

Batting together, both cricketers added a grand total of 117 runs for the opening stand from 244 balls before Agarwal was dismissed by Lungi Ngidi in the 41st over of the match. 

Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul join elite list of players

Meanwhile, following their opening stand, Mayank and Rahul found their names alongside an elite list of cricketers like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag among the others. By scoring the century-plus partnership, both cricketers became the third Indian opening pair in history to score hundred plus runs in a Test match in South Africa. They now stand below the opening pair of Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik who scored 153 runs in Cape Town, during India’s tour of South Africa in 2006/07, and the pair of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, who scored a total of 137 runs in Centurion during the tour of 2010/11.

KL Rahul went on to score his hundred after Mayank Agarwal's dismissal-

Following the strong opening stand, India found themselves at 228/3 after the end of 76 overs of play. No. 3 batter Cheteshwar Pujara went back to the pavilion on a golden duck, while Rahul added 43 individual runs during his 82-run stand with skipper Virat Kohli. Kohli became the third scalp of the day for the Proteas by getting dismissed on the individual score of 35 runs. Meanwhile, at the time of writing this article, India find themselves on 238/3 after 78 overs of play. With Ajinkya Rahane batting on 25 runs off 37 balls, KL Rahul reached his century off 218 balls, by hitting a boundary. Rahul has scored his century with the help of 14 fours and one six.

Image: Instagram/@indiancricketteam