Chennai, March 27: Despite their aching hands, courtesy the 152.5 overs they had bowled, India’s bowling department must have had its fingers crossed as openers Wasim Jaffer and Virender Sehwag negotiated the final 21 overs on Day Two of the Test today. Early inroads by the South African bowlers would have shown them in poor light and their collective ‘flat pitch’ wail might have sounded hollow.

But as India, replying to South Africa’s 540, finished the day at 82/0, there was a clear hint that bowling woes didn’t seem like an India-specific problem. It gave some perspective to South Africa’s domination with the bat — led by a chanceless 159 from Hashim Amla — and also about a pedestrian bowling show by the Indians on the two days.

With the high-profile South African pace battery of Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel — certified members of world cricket’s 140-plus club — going wicketless, it was clear that Chepauk doesn’t quite give goose pimples to batsmen. If the look on the faces of South African bowlers was anything to go by, it was clear that they had fears that tomorrow might be a Fry-day.

Ask Sehwag about the pitch and a naughty smile escapes from his beaming face as he says: “Looks like it will crack on the fifth day.” An unbeaten 52 from 61 balls can certainly make one see the lighter side.

The humour in Sehwag’s tone certainly wouldn’t have been possible had he and Jaffer not flourished with the bat in the last session. Given the way India’s bowlers got belted over the park, the team would have been forced to cope with a bit of criticism for the lackadaisical display on the field.

To watch RP Singh miss out on easy saves on consecutive occasions, fumbling in gathering the ball and being totally off-colour, was disappointing. Sreesanth bowled well in patches. Yesterday, Harbhajan Singh had said that “another two wickets and we (India) can dig into their tail”. His words did come true. But the two wickets fell — Amla and Boucher — after the overnight batsmen had put on 150 runs.

Since India were able to start returning the compliment with the bat, Sehwag found it easier to explain that “the fielding could’ve been better but sometimes the level of intensity falls because of the kind of heat.”

Another big plus for India today was the way the other opener Jaffer, who had a miserable time in Australia, batted. His fine run at the Deodhar Trophy games showed that Jaffer had found his old touch. Sehwag, by was of warning to the South Africans, said, “Out of his five centuries, two are double centuries.”

If South Africa had managed their first fifty off 78 balls on the opening day without losing a wicket, today India raced to 50 in 79 balls, which shows that the honour remains among equals. But questions remained about the quality of the Indian bowling. When Sehwag was asked if everybody in the team is fit, he replied, “Ask the captain”. But in case he and the other Indian batsmen match South Africa’s score, these uncomfortable questions will be forgotten when Anil Kumble speaks at the end.