India vs South Africa, 2019: 2nd Test, Day 3 – Maharaj-Philander resilience, Ashwin's milestone wicket, India's big lead and more stats

South Africa did put on a fight on the 3rd day of Pune Test thanks to their lower-order batsmen Keshav Maharaj (72) and Vernon Philander (44*). The duo paired after the visitors lost their 8th wicket with only 162 on the board. Skipper Faf du Plessis was just dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin after scoring 64. The off-spinner took the last two wickets as well after a 9th wicket stand which lasted as many as 43.1 overs. The Maharaj-Philander pair added 109 to help South Africa bring down the deficit to 326.

All the statistical highlights from the 3rd day’s play which was owned by South Africa’s lower-order:

A big first-innings lead:

326 – Only the 2nd time India has taken a first-innings lead in excess of 300 in Test cricket against South Africa. They got a lead of 347 runs while batting second in the 2010 Kolkata Test match.

A frustrating stand:

109 – The 109-run partnership between Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander is the 5th century stand for South Africa in Test cricket for the 9th wicket. Their previous biggest 9th wicket partnership against India was 91 during the 4th innings of the previous Test in Vizag.

43.1 – The partnership between Maharaj and Philander lasted 43.1 overs; the longest 9th wicket partnership in Test cricket against India in 18 years. The last 9th wicket pair that lasted longer against India was Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie who added 133 in 44.4 overs during the first innings of the famous 2001 Kolkata Test.

Ashwin @ 50:

50 – Ravichandran Ashwin completed 50 wickets in Test cricket against South Africa; the 4th Indian with 50 Test wickets against Proteas. He needed only 9 Tests for this feat; the fewest among the four players.

45.5 – Bowling strike rate of Ravi Ashwin in Tests against South Africa; the 4th best among the 21 players with 50+ Test wickets over the South Africans. Ashwin’s average of 18.52 is also the 5th best against the Proteas among those 21 players.

8 – Ashwin now has taken eight hauls of 4 or more wickets in Test cricket against South Africa; the most by an Indian. Harbhajan Singh has seven 4-fers against the Saffers in the longer format.

A record knock from Maharaj:

72 – Keshav Maharaj’s 72-run knock is the 4th highest individual score for South Africa in Test cricket while batting at No.10 or lower position. Pat Symcox’s 108 against Pakistan in the 1998 Johannesburg Test is the highest at this position for the Proteas. Maharaj’s 72 is also the 3rd highest Test score for any player against India at No.10 or lower position.

The toughest lower-order that India faced:

368 – The last three wickets of South Africa lasted 368 balls; the most by any visiting pair in India in a Test innings after losing 7th wicket. The previous most was 367 balls by Australia in their first innings of the 1998 Kolkata Test. (Where balls data is known).

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