Team India captain Virat Kohli showed a lot of resilience in his well-disciplined 79-run knock but it was South Africa who enjoyed the upper hand on Day 1 of the third Test match in Cape Town. Kagiso Rabada, in his 50th Test match, picked four wickets as India were bundled for 223 in the first innings of the series decider.
Captain Kohli didn’t receive ample support from the other batters as India once again struggle to put up a big total in front of the Proteas on this tour. The 33-year-old was the lone warrior for India with the bat in the first innings with 79 off 201 balls, he batted with a lot of patience and showed some discipline in his knock. Cheteshwar Pujara (43) was the other batter who came with a substantial contribution.
After getting restricted for a below-par score, India got the important wicket of South African skipper Dean Elgar (3) towards close of play with Jasprit Bumrah getting him caught at first slip.
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At stumps, the hosts were 17 for one in eight overs with Aiden Markram (8) and night watchman Keshav Maharaj (6) in the middle.
Earlier, Kohli, who struggled a lot on the balls in the off-stump channel, dealt with the quality Proteas attack with a lot of perseverance. He left almost everything landing in the off-stump channel.
He was engaged in a fascinating battle with Rabada throughout the day before the South African removed the opposition captain who was looking for boundaries towards the end of the innings.
The Indian lower-order failed to contribute this time, leaving Kohli stranded.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant once again threw his wicket away after getting settled in the middle. He tried to cut a ball too close to his body and ended up giving a simple catch to gully on the score of 27.
Jansen had Ashwin (2) caught behind by getting one to angle away and Shardul Thakur (12) was caught at short cover for spinner Keshav Maharaj’s first wicket of the series.
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Earlier, in the quest to register their first-ever Test series win on the Proteas soil, India won the toss and elected to bat first, but the overcast conditions hurt them with both openers back in hut early.
In-form KL Rahul failed to emulate his form from the previous two Tests in the series decider as he was dismissed by Duanne Olivier on just 12. The Proteas pacer hit the deck hard to bowl a well-directed short ball close to Rahul’s body, who failed to check his defence and edged it to the wicketkeeper. Soon after Rahul’s departure, in the next over his opening partner Mayank Agarwal (15) followed him back in the dressing room.
After Tea, India lost two crucial wickets of Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in quick successions. Pujara was looking in good touch during his 43-run knock but Jansen got the better of him. While Rahane’s lean patch with the bat continues as he scored just 8 runs and was dismissed by Rabada.
(With PTI Inputs)
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