Weakened India face uphill battle

Jacques Kallis struck the 34th century of his glittering career, joining with Hashim Amla to put India under pressure in Nagpur

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Dominating centuries from Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla helped South Africa take a stranglehold on the first Test against India on a slow first day in Nagpur.

Zaheer Khan had rattled the tourists with a couple of early breakthroughs in the morning, but Kallis and Amla made India’s attack toil with an effective, but at times tedious, approach.

At stumps, Kallis was 159 not out and Amla unbeaten on 115, the second-wicket pair adding 285, a record stand for their country against India, as South Africa racked up a formidable 291 for two.

India’s bowling attack was their first-choice, but it remains to be seen how an inexperienced batting line-up fares.

With Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh already unavailable, VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma were ruled out through injury in the morning. That prompted debuts for the uncapped Subramaniam Badrinath and Wriddhiman Saha.

South Africa chose to bat first, but as he does so often, Zaheer gave India the early edge with an incisive spell with the new ball, removing both openers inside the first hour.

Ashwell Prince, in desperate need of a score, was snared with a bouncer in the third over in the morning, while Graeme Smith was removed in the left-armer’s next over.

Prince appeared tentative and edgy, and Zaheer twice had leg-before appeals turned down against the left-hander while an edge dropped just short of Murali Vijay at second slip.

Zaheer eventually had his man caught behind for a duck with a well-directed short delivery although TV replays showed the ball had come off the arm guard as Prince attempted evasive action. Umpire Ian Gould had already upheld the appeal.

Zaheer Khan's characteristic two early blows were followed by a day of punishment as South Africa fought back strongly

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There was no doubt about Smith’s dismissal for six, Zaheer rattling the stumps with a delivery that nipped back off the seam and crashed through the captain’s defences.

The home side’s success ended there, in spite of the bowlers sticking tenaciously to the task on an unresponsive surface that is expected to disintegrate enough to take on spin later in the game.

South Africa were six for two when Kallis joined Amla at the crease, both batsmen then showing considerable intent and composure as they slowly gave South Africa the advantage.

Runs came at a trickle in the first hour - the first boundary was struck in the 10th over when Amla lashed Ishant Sharma past point - but Kallis accelerated smoothly, hammering Mishra for boundaries in successive overs and clubbing Harbhajan for a four and a six early in his innings.

Both batsmen were hardly troubled in the afternoon session as Kallis steadily approached his century, eventually raising his 34th hundred in Test cricket with a single off Harbhajan to fine-leg. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting have more centuries than the master batsman.

Amla plodded and padded through the day – he had a couple of good lbw decisions against the spinners turned down – and twice offered Zaheer a chance at his scalp before he had reached his century.

He twice edged off Zaheer – the first fell between Vijay and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the second went through a vacant second slip area. Another chance fell short of the fielder at silly mid-on.

Amla put all this behind him to reach his eighth Test century by flicking Harbhajan for a boundary, his 11th in a 204-ball stay.