SA vs IND, 3rd Test, Day 1, Review: India bowled out for 187 on an 11-wicket day

India and South Africa locked horns in the third and final Test match of the series at Wanderers in Johannesburg amidst all the talk about the pitch. The series has been already decided but both the teams have been upbeat about this Test match. While the visitors are looking to make amends by winning the game, the home side desires to whitewash the World number 1 team. However, these are all makings of a fascinating game for the spectators who wants to see the contest in the middle.

Virat Kohli called it correctly at the toss and surprisingly opted to bat first on the pitch which looked green and heaven for the bowlers. Ajinkya Rahane finally came back into the side at the expense of Rohit Sharma with Bhunveshwar Kumar also playing in place of R Ashwin. Even South Africa went in with all pace attack dropping Keshav Maharaj for Andile Phehlukwayo.

Openers fail again

The openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay walked out to bat on the wicket which looked like a graveyard for the batsmen. Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel opened the bowling for the hosts and constantly missed the bat in the first few overs before the former nicked one behind the stumps. It was Philander who struck the first blow after which Vijay was also sent back by Kagiso Rabada. It was a poor shot from the batsmen who went to play a harmless delivery outside the off-stump leaving India at 13/2.

However, it was the skipper Virat Kohli who calmed the nerves by playing positively. Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara was adamant on playing defensively and rided his luck as well. He scored his first run off the 54th delivery of his innings after which everyone in the ground heaved a sigh of relief with the spectators applauding him for his efforts. They grew in confidence after spending more time in the middle. Though Kohli was dropped by Philander who fluffed an easy catch and the hosts even failed to review the lbw decision of Pujara.

In the process, Virat Kohli notched up his 16th half-century, the innings during which he rode his luck throughout. Soon after he was scalped once again by Lungi Ngidi to end the flourishing 84-run stand for the third wicket. The comeback man Rahane also edged one behind the wickets soon but replays suggested that Morkel had bowled rthe no-ball. He couldn’t extend his knock though as the same bowler sent him back to the hut leg before at the stroke of tea.

Another collapse

Pujara and Parthiv Patel looked firm in the final session as the former reached a well-deserved half-century off a whopping 179 deliveries. However, the jubilance was converted into agony soon as he edged a delivery which was bowled in the corridor of uncertainty by Phehlukwayo. His wicket led to yet another collapse of the Indian line-up with Parthiv and Hardik Pandya throwing away wickets on the same score. India were suddenly looking awry from being 144/4 to 144/7.

It was the efforts of Bhuvi which took India to a competitive total of 187 in the end. He scored a gritty 30 runs to give the bowlers some runs to fight with. Rabada was the most successful bowler by picking 3 wickets though every body chipped in with the ball in hand. For the visitors only three batsmen were able to cross the double figures who helped their team post a semblance of a total on a tough pitch.

In response, South Africa also lost Aiden Markram as Bhuvi found an edge of his bat which was safely pouched by the wicket-keeper. Though the night-watchman Rabada and Dean Elgar made sure there were no further hiccups during the tricky period they batted. They finished on 6/1 trailing by 181 runs in the first innings.

They would love to take the lead by batting whole second day but the batting is only getting difficult as Indian bowlers would be likcing their lips now. India, on the other hand, would feel they still have a great chance to turned the tables over the hosts by bowling them put for a small total. A fascinating second day is up for grabs for the fans as the contest between the top two Test teams continue.

Brief Scores

India 187 (V Kohli 54, C Pujara 50; K Rabada 3/39, A Phehlukwayo 2/25)

South Africa 6/1 (B Kumar 1/3)

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