(Cricket news) India have put themselves in a good position after early troubles on day 3. India started the day on 272/3 with centurion KL Rahul on the crease along with Ajinkya Rahane.
After a wicketless and underwhelming day 1, Kagiso Rabada came in all guns blazing as he got rid of KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur in quick succession. Lungi Ngidi on the other end took the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane when he was on 48 along with Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami. Debutant Marco Jansen picked up his maiden Test wicket in the form of Jasprit Bumrah. India's lower middle order collapsed like a pack of dominoes. Jasprit Bumrah was the best Indian batter on day 2 as he scored 14 and hit 2 glorious boundaries in the process. The Proteas changed things around very quickly as Ngidi finished with figures of 6/71 while Rabada finished on 3/72. Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers and was constantly troubling the Indian batters.
Skipper Dean Elgar walked out to bat with Aiden Markram and Jasprit Bumrah did what he always does. The seamer was on song from the very first ball as he got rid of Elgar in the very first over with a beautiful delivery. Keegan Peterson and Markram looked comfortable as the Proteas were 22/1 on lunch. Mohammed Shami started things off in the 2nd session and ran straight through the Proteas batters. He jagged the ball through the gate of Peterson before knocking Markram's top of off stump in quick succession. India had a set back in the 11th over as Jasprit Bumrah nastily twisted his ankle during his follow through. He was immediately taken off the field and returned on the field just before the tea break.
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Mohammed Siraj got the outside edge of Rassie van der Dussen as the ball was caught by Rahane at Gully. Shortly after he got Quinton de Kock's outside edge but the catch was dropped by KL Rahul at 3rd slip. De Kock along with Temba Bavuma stitched together a very crucial 72 run partnership. De Kock looked a little nervous but Bavuma played some exquisite strokes as he reached his half century. Ravichandran Ashwin had a tough day as he constantly missed his length, often dropping the ball too short and getting punished as he went wicketless. Shardul Thakur got the massive wicket of Quinton de Kock and broke the partnership.
Shami came back into the attack and picked up the wickets of Wiaan Mulder and Temba Bavuma. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada had some fun in playing a few good shots before Shardul Thakur once again broke the partnership as he trapped Jansen in front. Shami dismissed Rabada, completing his 5 wicket haul and picking up his 200th Test wicket in the process. Jasprit Bumrah came back to ball without any visible pain in his ankle and picked up the final wicket of Keshav Maharaj as South Africa were all out on 197 which was 130 runs short of India's total.
Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul came into bat but this time couldn't get a big opening partnership as debutant Jansen got rid of Agarwal with a fine outswinger from over the wicket. Shardul Thakur came in as night watchman and survived as India ended the day on 16/1. India will be looking to set a decent total on day 4 before having a crack at the South African batting on day 5.
