By: Tarish Bhatt
KL Rahul seems to have carried his overseas run-scoring form to India, as the India Test opener scored a flowing fifty in the practice match to stamp his mark ahead of the South Africa Test series.
This is going to be a crucial innings for Rahul, who would be facing stiff competition from Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma for the opening slot, ahead of the opening Test in Mohali.
KL Rahul anchored the Board President XI innings, when South Africa made early inroad, dismissing Unmukt Chand, Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer cheaply.
The Karnataka-born made a crucial partnership with Karun Nair to help the hosts recover from early jolts, and took them a good position at lunch, while completing his fifty post-lunch.
Karun Nair, meanwhile, fell just short of a well-deserved fifty, but Naman Ojha carried on and completed his half-century, while also making a solid partnership with Sheldon Jackson.
Riding on fifties of KL Rahul and Naman Ojha, the Board President XI posted 296 on the board. In reply, South Africans are 46/2 when the play was called off on Day 1.
Shardul Thakur picked both South Africa wickets, dismissing Stiaan Van Zyl and Simon Harmer in the final session of the day.
