South Africa were struggling at 109/5 in their first innings at tea, trailing India by 218 runs on the third day of the first Test of the three-match series, at SuperSport Park, here on Tuesday.
Resuming the session at 21 for 1, after lunch, Indian pacers ripped through the South African top order with some exceptional bowling.
Having already lost skipper Dean Elgar before lunch, his opening partner Aiden Markram (13) and Keegan Petersen (15) also couldn’t do much as both were cleaned up by Mohammed Shami. Soon Rassie van der Dussen (3) was sent back to the pavilion by Siraj, whose full delivery drew him forward and had the edge caught at slip, leaving South Africa reeling at 32 for 4.
From there on, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock stitched a 72-run stand for the fifth wicket to bail the Proteas out of a precarious position. However, de Kock (34) chopped a Shardul Thakur delivery back on to his stumps only a few minutes before tea, allowing India to seize the momentum again.
Earlier in the day, India had a dramatic collapse, triggered by the pace duo of Lungi Ngidi (6/71), Kagiso Rabada (3/72), the visitors losing seven wickets for 55 runs on Day 3 to get bowled out for 327 in the morning session.
KL Rahul (123 off 260), who looked in fine touch on Day 1, was the first one to get dismissed. The opener tried to play a swivel-pull off Rabada but gloved the ball and ‘keeper Quinton de Kock took an easy catch.
Next was Ajinkya Rahane (48 off 102), who tried to play a cut shot off Ngidi, but was only able to give a catch to the wicketkeeper. Thereafter, the likes of Rishabh Pant (8), Ravichandran Ashwin (4), Shardul Thakur (4), and Md Shami (8) got out in quick succession.
The last-wicket partnership of 19 runs between Jasprit Bumrah (14) and Md Siraj (4) gave some late flourish to the Indian innings.
Brief scores:
India 327 in 105.3 overs (KL Rahul 123, Mayank Agarwal 60; Lungi Ngidi 6-71, Kagiso Rabada 3-72) lead South Africa 109/5 (Quinton de Kock 34, Temba Bavuma 32 not out; Mohammed Shami 2-16) by 218 runs
