Persistent rain forced early stumps in the opening Test between India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, with the hosts going strong at 202 for no loss in 59.1 overs. India were forced to take tea eight minutes before scheduled time after clouds gathered over the stadium towards the end of the second session.
Heavens opened up during the break, delaying the start of the post-tea session, and finally stopping play at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA stadium.
Rohit Sharma was unbeaten on 115 off 174 balls, while Mayank Agarwal was on course for a century, reaching 84 off 183 balls.
While South African bowlers did trouble the Indian batsmen on a few occasions in the first session, they seemed toothless in the afternoon session where Sharma and Agarwal scored at a brisk rate.
Sharma, who got to his fifty before lunch, shifted gears and was particularly harsh on the spinners.
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He hammered offie Danie Piedt for successive sixes over deep midwicket to get into the nineties before completing his fourth Test ton with a single off debutant spinner Senuran Muthusamy. He hit 12 fours and five sixes.
The entire dressing room, including skipper Virat Kohli, stood up to laud his feat.
At the other end, Agarwal was cruising towards his maiden Test ton. He too looked assured at the crease and played his shots.
Early into the afternoon session, he brought up his half century with a spectacular six over extra cover off Keshav Maharaj.
