'Who saw that coming?': Pujara and Rahane silence critics with quick-fire 50s in 2nd Test

Indian cricketers Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara opened the third day’s play for India against South Africa in the second Test of the three-match Test series, at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg and went on to score their individual half-centuries. Rahane reached his fifty off 67 balls by hitting consecutive boundaries to Olivier, after Pujara hit his fastest ever Test half-century after facing only 54 balls. Both batters silenced their critics by stitching a partnership of more than 100 runs as India found themselves at 155/2 after 35 overs of play in the third innings with a lead of 128 runs over the Proteas.

Best knocks by Rahane and Pujara in the last five matches

Rahane walked back to the pavilion after scoring 58 runs off 78 balls with the help of eight boundaries and one six. He was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada in the final over of the 35th over after hitting his highest knock in the last five Test matches that he has played. Out of the 10 innings, he has been out on duck twice, dismissed on or below the score of 10 runs twice, while crossing the 25 runs mark on three occasions. He scored 48 runs in the first innings of the Centurion Test, before scoring 20 runs in the second.

Meanwhile, the knock is also the second-highest knock by Cheteshwar Pujara in the last five matches that he has played. He survived an LBW appeal off a delivery by Olivier in the 36th over, as the third-umpire went with the onfield umpire's decision after looking at the replays. He was later dismissed by Kagiso Rabada in the 37th over on the score of 53 runs off 86 balls. At the time of writing this article, India's score stood at 175/5 after 42 overs on Day 3 at Johannesburg.

Jaffer, Bhogle laud Rahane and Pujara

Harsha Bhogle called Rahane and Pujara's partnership top class while Wasim Jaffer said both the batters repaid Rahul Dravid's faith. 

Fans react to Rahane and Pujaras knocks

After Rahane and Pujara silenced their critics after scoring half-centuries for Team India, internet flooded with praises for the Indian batters. Take a look at some reactions below. 

(Image: @BCCI/Twitter)