Aiden Markram played one of the best knocks in the history of Test cricket. On a bouncy surface at Newlands, Cape Town, Markram identified that the only way to survive and score runs is to attack. With wickets falling at the other end, Markram smashed his seventh Test century from just 99 balls. It is the sixth-fastest Test century for South Africa. AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest Test ton for South Africa from 75 balls against India in 2010 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion.
After India lost six wickets for no run in the last session of Day 2, Markram walked out to bat with the intent to attack alongside Dean Elgar. He hit his first boundary off Jasprit Bumrah. Markram and Elgar shared a 37-run opening partnership. At the end of Day 1's play, Markram was batting on 36 off 51 deliveries.
On Day 2, David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne fell cheaply. Markram reached his half-century with a boundary from 68 balls. Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj returned to the pavillion. After Jasprit Bumrah's five-wicket haul, Markram decided to keep the most of the strike. In the 28th over, he got a reprieve as KL Rahul dropped a regulation catch off Bumrah's bowling.
Then Rohit Sharma introduced Prasidh Krishna. Markram saw it as an opportunity to score quickly. He smashed Krishna for two sixes and as many fours. In the next over, he hit two consecutive fours to reach his century. The opener dedicated his century to Elgar who is playing his farewell Test. He earned appreciation from Virat Kohli as he walked up to him and congratulated the batter for a counter-attacking ton.
Mohammed Siraj was brought Markram could not carry on after scoring his century. In the next over, he went for a big shot but handed an easy catch to Rohit. His 103-ball 106 was laced with 17 fours and a couple of sixes. His knock helped South Africa post 176 on the board and set a 79-run target for the visitors. He scored 60.23 per cent of runs in the third inning. This is the highest percentage of runs by a South African batter in a completed Test innings. Herbie Taylor with 59.89 percent of runs against England in 1913 held the previous record.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
ICC rings around 2 massive rule changes related to stumping and concussion substitutes; check here
Michael Vaughan snubs David Warner, Steve Smith to declare this player as Australia's greatest cricketer after Bradman
