South Africa vs India, 3rd Test - India Player Ratings

After facing close defeats in Cape Town and Centurion, the Indian team was subjected to a lot of criticism. However, the character displayed by Virat Kohli and his men in this Test match was spectacular. Amidst the drama that unfolded on Day 3 regarding the playing conditions, the game continued on Day 4. The South Africans failed to lose a single wicket in the first session. It seemed as if the hosts were marching towards victory as Indians failed to take a single wicket in the morning.

However, Indian bowlers staged a significant comeback after tea. The South Africans were reduced from 144/3 to 161/9. India pulled off a scintillating victory by just 63 runs. While they had already lost the series, this was a splendid fightback coming from the visitors after being 2 down in the series. Here are the player ratings for India based on their performances in this Test match:

KL Rahul – 2/10

Brought in as a replacement of Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul was expected to be much responsible. After failing in the second test, KL Rahul was dismissed for a duck in the first innings. Coming down at No.3 in the second innings, Rahul batted well for a while. However, he ended up getting dismissed by Vernon Philander for the second time in the game. The fact that Dhawan scored more in the Cape Town test as compared to Rahul in both the tests combined together proves what a horrible tour this has been for the right-hander.

Murali Vijay – 5/10

Vijay has been regarded as one of the mainstays in the Indian batting lineup. However, he failed to come around in the first innings as Rabada dismissed him cheaply. But his 25 runs in the second innings were golden on a pitch that was completely assisting bowlers. His 127 ball stay at the crease helped India survive after losing the likes of Parthiv, Rahul and Pujara early. While it wasn’t an outstanding performance, he chipped in well to contribute as the team required him to do.

Cheteshwar Pujara – 6/10

There’s no doubt that Pujara has been considered as a valuable asset at No.3 for India in India. However, his continuous failure in overseas conditions had raised questions over his versatility as a batsman. However, his splendid half century in the first innings was a major statement to all his detractors. In a difficult pitch against the likes of Philander, Rabada, Ngidi and Morkel, Pujara displayed his calm and composure. While he got out early in the second innings, his first innings silently paved the way for India. This was a wonderful comeback after a poor performance at Centurion.

Virat Kohli – 9/10

‘If anyone calls Virat Kohli a flat track bully, he has earned an enemy in me’ as quoted by Ayaaz Memon. He may have scored 54 and 41 in this test match but they were as great as any double century he has scored at home. A pitch which was creating trouble for the batsmen from Day One, Kohli managed to register a couple of fantastic knocks. While he did get chances in the first innings, that doesn’t take away from the way he batted. Talking about captaincy, he brought back Rahane and Bhuvneshwar for the game and both contributed significantly in turning the game India’s favour. Also the character he displayed despite of the pitch being deemed dangerous was brave and laudable.

Ajinkya Rahane – 6/10

Brought in place of Rohit Sharma after missing the first two tests, this was going to a test for Ajinkya Rahane. The 29-year-old showed glimpses of his poor run in the first innings. After being dismissed off a no ball, Rahane failed to convert that chance into something big. However, it was the second innings when the fans witnessed the ever classical Rahane at his splendid best. He was a top scorer in the second innings with 48 runs. In a tough pitch, his presence after Kohli’s dismissal helped India take the lead to 200. He has made sure he will never be dropped again in a test match.

Hardik Pandya – 1/10

For someone who was the hero in the first game, he turned out to be a zero at Centurion and again at Johannesburg. While he didn’t get to bowl much with four pacers already present in the squad, Hardik Pandya persisted with his batting failures. After a promising knock at Cape Town, he failed to stay to the reputation with a continuous string of poor scores. There will be serious questions regarding his presence in the Test XI after the last two game. There’s a high chance of Ashwin or Jadeja being preferred over him in the upcoming overseas tours.

Parthiv Patel – 3/10

While it was surprising to find him as the gloveman in the third test, Parthiv did well with his wicketkeeping this time around. However, he continued to fail with the bat. After 2 runs in the first innings, Parthiv was asked to open in the second innings. The move was to make sure the short man scored some quick runs to instil pressure on the Proteas. He did score three boundaries but was dismissed soon enough. He even injured his finger which meant Dinesh Karthik had to walk in as the substitute. It’s highly unlikely that he would be on the flight to England.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 9/10

After being dropped in the Centurion test, Bhuvneshwar Kumar made a splendid comeback into the XI. He also won the man of the match reward. It was not only his bowling effort but also the batting that made a tremendous difference for India. His innings of 30 and 33 in were crucial in determining India’s success in this Test match. The right arm medium pacer also took three top-order wickets in the first innings to set the flow for India. Even in the second innings, he bowled really well.

Mohammed Shami – 8/10

The highest wicket-taker for India in the series. Mohammed Shami emerged as a sensational bowler especially when it came to the second innings. There were quite a few moments in the first innings where he wasn’t delivering up to his potential. However, his five-wicket haul in the second innings sealed the victory for India. He didn’t allow the tail to wag even for a slight duration with quick wickets. Bowling at the right line and length, Shami excelled with figures of 5/28. He’s going to be an integral part of the Indian bowling line up in the upcoming tours.

Jasprit Bumrah – 7/10

For someone playing his first series, it was quite a pleasing sight to watch Bumrah develop every game. The yorker specialist got a five-wicket haul in the first innings. After dismissing Faf du Plessis and de Kock, Bumrah got the all-important wicket of Hashim Amla. He thus set the collapse for the Proteas as they were restricted to a total of 194. While he got a couple of wickets in the second innings, he was seen to be defensive as a bowler at times. He bowled well in patches and there’s no doubt he’ll be a much-improved bowler in England.

Ishant Sharma – 6/10

Not the best bowler or someone to stand out. However, Ishant Sharma managed to seam the ball consistently. He got a total of 3 wickets in the test match but his bowling was up to the mark. There were moments where he failed to capitalise, but it was a game where Bumrah and Shami dominated for a major time period. As India travel to England, Ishant will be looking forward to replicating his performance last time around in 2014.