India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 3, Highlights: ‘Devil’ pitch holds up India after Dean Elgar hit on head | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 3, Highlights: ‘Devil’ pitch holds up India after Dean Elgar hit on head

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Jan 26, 2018 10:50 PM IST

Match officials stopped play in the third Test between India and South Africa at Johannesburg and had discussions with captain and coaches of both the teams after Dean Elgar took a nasty blow on the grill of his helmet. Get highlights of India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, day 3, here

South Africa were 17/1 in pursuit of 241 in the third Test against India at Johannesburg, before play had to be stopped due to pitch conditions. Earlier, Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli took the visitors further ahead despite increasing concern about the condition of the pitch. India lost two wickets in the first five overs of the morning but Vijay and Kohli showed resolve in difficult conditions to add 43 runs for the fourth wicket before Vijay was bowled by Kagiso Rabada with the last ball before lunch. Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar batted sensibly after Kohli’s dismissal and took India’s lead to 240. Catch highlights of India vs South Africa, 3rd Test day 3 from Johannesburg here. (SCORECARD) (PV SINDHU vs SAINA NEHWAL SCORES) (AUS vs ENG SCORES)

Umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar discuss an area on the pitch during the third day of the third Test match between South Africa and India at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Catch highlights of India vs South Africa, 3rd Test day 3 here(BCCI)
Umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar discuss an area on the pitch during the third day of the third Test match between South Africa and India at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Catch highlights of India vs South Africa, 3rd Test day 3 here(BCCI)

21:35 hrs IST: That’s it. Thank you for joining us. Until next time, it’s goodbye. Cheers!

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Ajinkya Rahane: “It was challenging. The wicket was similar for both teams. It was completely same for everyone. Our approach is that we want to play and we want to win this Test match. That ball (Elgar) was back of length, hard length. It kicked off slightly more bounce than usual. The bounce on this wicket is completely natural. Not dangerous, it is completely similar for both team. The umpires were checking on me because I got hit on the elbow and glove, they were telling me if you want to call your physio you can and take your time, dont be in a hurry. When you are batting with the new ball it is challenging but you cannot call it a dangerous wicket. I dont think the wicket is too dangerous. I hope Dean Elgar is ok. When me and Virat were batting and me and Bhuvi, it was completely their (umpires) decision.We told them we want to continue playing. We didn’t want to go back.”

21:01 hrs IST: And that’s stumps. The meeting is still going on. No official word whether we’ll have play tomorrow or not.

20:53 hrs IST: And it has started to rain. The covers are coming on.

20:49 hrs IST: The Indian players are all going back to the dressing room.

20:43 hrs IST: Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis are now heading into the referee’s room. This is getting serious.

20:39 hrs IST: The players are leaving the field after Dean Elgar gets hit on the head. Play has been stopped for now.

20:31 hrs IST: Meanwhile, the BCCI Committee of Administrators (COA) chief Vinod Rai has urged former greats of the game such as Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev to get into cricket administration for the betterment of the sport. Rai said India have played a lot in 2017 and their fatigue needs to be kept in mind. In that respect, having former players who have “come up the hard way” in administration would help. Read full story here

20:24 hrs IST: South Africa are 9/1 after six overs. Elgar 3*, Amla 2*

20:17 hrs IST: The ball (and of course the pitch) is doing a lot. Amla’s ‘shuffling across process’ begins.

20:10 hrs IST: This IPL auction promises more fireworks than ever as even teams that had been budget conscious in the past will look to shed their inhibition to get those players who they think are equipped to fly their flag in the tournament. Read full preview of tomorrow’s auction here

20:05 hrs IST: WICKET! And just what the doctor ordered, as far as India are concerned. Shami removes Markram. Hashim Amla comes to the crease. He scored a fifty in the first innings.

19:59 hrs IST: Good start from Bhuvi, just four runs off his first. Shami comes into the attack. He took one wicket in the first innings.

19:54 hrs IST: Welcome back! Markram to take strike. Bhuvi to bowl the first over.

19:43 hrs IST: OUT! And that’s it. Philander gets Bumrah. That’s the end of India’s innings. The hosts need 241 runs to make it 3-0. On the other hand, Virat Kohli’s hope would hop to register their first win of the tour. Join us in 10 minutes for South Africa’s chase.

19:35 hrs IST: FOUR! Overpitched from Ngidi, Ishant makes room and hits it in the gap between extra cover and mid-off for his first boundary of the day.

19:29 hrs IST: WICKET! Morne Morkel strikes for the third time, gets Bhuvi. What a knock from the India No. 8! 33 off 74. He has done his job. Jasprit Bumrah comes to the crease. India 240/9, lead South Africa by 233 runs

19:21 hrs IST: OUT! And Shami’s quickfire knock comes to an end. Ngidi gets rid of him. Ishant Sharma comes to the crease. India are 238/8, lead by 231

19:16 hrs IST: We have seen relatively lesser known and uncapped players (like Krunal Pandya, Murugan Ashwin, KC Cariappa, Mohammed Siraj) get snapped by Indian Premier League (IPL) teams at astronomical prices and this year will be no different. Here’s a look at the uncapped players who could hit the jackpot.

19:10 hrs IST: Solid show from the visitors. The lead can go well past 250 now. Fair to say, South Africa in all sorts of trouble.

19:04 hrs IST: SIX! Back of a length delivery from Rabada, Shami comes forward and smacks it over wide mid-on for a maximum. What a shot!

19:00 hrs IST: Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has broken a record of MS Dhoni in the ongoing Test. Find out here

18:55 hrs IST: SIX! Short delivery from Morkel and Shami pulls it hard over the deep square leg boundary. Wow!

18:50 hrs IST: Yes, dropped catches do hurt!

18:45 hrs IST: OUT! That’s a big wicket for South Africa. Morne Morkel gets the better of Ajinkya Rahane. He scored 48. Credit to the Mumbaikar. He has done his job.

18:39 hrs IST: 200 is up for India as they take three runs off the first over after tea. India are 202/6 after 66 overs.

18:33 hrs IST: And the final session of the day is about to begin. Rahane and Bhuvi will no doubt look to continue batting and get the lead past 200 now.

18:11 hrs IST: And that’s tea. Good session for India despite Kohli and Pandya’s wicket. Rahane and Bhuvi have put the visitors in a solid position. The hosts will surely find the going hard in the fourth innings. Join us in 20 minutes for the final session.

18:02 hrs IST: Former West Indies Test captain Chris Gayle has been named in the ICC World Cup qualifiers squad while some big names Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo have opted to play in the Pakistan T20 Super League (PSL). Read here

17:55 hrs IST: Expensive over from Phehlukwayo, eleven runs off it. India are 193/6, lead by 186. Rahane 41*, Bhuvi 22*

17:49 hrs IST: Andile Phehlukwayo comes into the attack for the first time in the innings. Can he strike?

17:44 hrs IST: Sensible batting from Bhuvneshwar, giving full support to Rahane. India’s lead is nearing 200.

17:37 hrs IST: FOUR! Length ball from Rabada and Bhuvneshwar lifts it over mid-off. Superb! India are 175/6, lead by 168.

17:30 hrs IST: Every run is important here. South Africa need to get India all out quickly.

17:25 hrs IST: FOUR! Full and wide from Rabada and Rahane drives it through cover point. India are 159/6, lead by 152.

17:18 hrs IST: Meanwhile, the Indo-Hungarian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Timea Babos have defeated Marcelo Demoliner and Martinez Sanchez to enter the Australian Open mixed doubles final.

17:14 hrs IST: OUT! And Pandya departs. Rabada takes a neat catch in his follow through. Third wicket for him. Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes to the crease. India need a partnership here.

17:10 hrs IST: Time for drinks. So far so good for India. Their lead is inching towards 150.

17:09 hrs IST: Some former international players feel the pitch conditions are getting too dangerous for play to continue.

“It’s almost an accident waiting to happen,” said former South African captain Kepler Wessels.

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding recalled a Test between the West Indies and England in Jamaica in 1998 which was abandoned because of a dangerous pitch.

“That was a total fiasco, this isn’t far off,” he said.

17:02 hrs IST: FOUR! Too straight from Philander and Rahane hits it past the non-striker for his fifth boundary. Another good over for India, eleven runs off it. They are 147/5, lead by 140.

16:57 hrs IST: FOUR! Full delivery from Philander, swings away, and Rahane drives it between cover and mid off. Moves into 20s.

16:54 hrs IST: Great over from Rabada. Only one run and a wicket. India are 136/5, lead by 129

16:50 hrs IST: WICKET! Magnificent delivery from Rabada, moves back in off the pitch and hits Kohli’s off stump. Hardik Pandya is the next man in.

16:44 hrs IST: FOUR! Another fuller delivery from Morkel, on Rahane’s pads, and the India No. 5 flicks it through mid-wicket. Good over for the visitors, eight runs off it. India are 133/4, lead by 125.

16:41 hrs IST: FOUR! Full and wide from Morkel and Rahane hits it in the air over extra cover. This is excellent from Rahane. Needs to keep going!

16:36 hrs IST: Meanwhile, Roger Federer cruised into the Australian Open final when outclassed surprise package Hyeon Chung retired due to injury. The defending champion dominated Chung on Rod Laver Arena, winning the first set 6-1 and breezing into a 5-2 lead in the second when the unseeded South Korean was unable to continue due to blisters on his left foot. Read full report here

16:31 hrs IST: FOUR! Short and wide from Philander, Rahane gets into position early and hits it over the point region for his first boundary of the day. India are 122/4, lead by 115.

16:27 hrs IST: FOUR! Full and straight from Philander, asking to be hit, and Kohli times it sweetly through cover. Moves to 39.

16:21 hrs IST: FOUR! Short of a length delivery from Philander, width on offer, Kohli opens the bat face and guides it to backward point boundary. India’s lead has gone past 100.

16:16 hrs IST: This could be a match defining partnership. Another 60-70 odd runs and India would be in the driver’s seat.

16:11 hrs IST: Welcome back! Rahane to face the first ball. Rabada to resume the proceedings.

15:30 hrs IST: OUT! And Rabada strikes, gets rid of Vijay with a yorker. Once again, he fails to get a big score. India are 100/4 at lunch, with a lead of 93. Join is 40 minutes for the second session!

15:22 hrs IST: Meanwhile, Saina Nehwal earned a dominant as well as a psychological victory against compatriot and higher ranked PV Sindhu to enter the women’s singles semi-finals of the $350,000 Indonesia Open badminton tournament, a Super 500 event of the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) new World Tour. Read full report here

15:15 hrs IST: Another’s captain’s innings from Kohli. India desperately need a win going into the ODI and T20I series against a team that has hardly lost a series at home.

15:08 hrs IST: Single for Kohli and he moves into 20s. India are 93/3, lead by 86.

15:05 hrs IST: FOUR! Overpitched from Ngidi and Kohli creams it to long-on boundary. Looks in top from!

15:01 hrs IST: The Indian opener seems fine. Play set to resume. Meanwhile, Kohli and du Plessis were seem having a chat with the umpires (about the pitch?).

14:58 hrs IST: Vijay has been hit on his left hand. Calls for the physio. We’ll keep you posted!

14:52 hrs IST: Meanwhile, former India captain MS Dhoni and multiple world champion cueist Pankaj Advani have been conferred with the country’s third-highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan. Besides the duo, 2017 World Weightlifting Champion in the 48kg category, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and former Asian Games gold medallist tennis player Somdev Devvarman have been conferred with the Padma Shri award. Know the full list here

14:47 hrs IST: FOUR! Full and wide from Ngidi, Kohli gets on the front foot and caresses it through cover. Brilliant!

14:43 hrs IST: FOUR! Shortish delivery from Rabada and it’s enough for Kohli to hit a flat-batted pull to the long-on boundary. Moves to eight. India are 71/3, lead by 64

14:36 hrs IST: STAT ATTACK - Jasprit Bumrah’s 5/54 was the third best bowling figures recorded by an Indian cricket team pacer in South Africa after Javagal Srinath’s 6/76 at Port Elizabeth in the 2001-02 series, and 5/40 by S Sreesanth at Johannesburg in 2006-07.

14:30 hrs IST: Time for drinks. Only 18 runs have been scored off the first 12 overs. Excellent bowling from Philander and co.. The next hour is going to be very crucial.

14:23 hrs IST: Meanwhile, Lionel Messi scored what proved to be the winner as Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 to reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Thursday in a game that saw Philippe Coutinho make his long-awaited debut. Read full report here

14:19 hrs IST: It continues to get tough for Kohli and Vijay. Get a feeling something is going to happen here. India are 64/3, lead by 57.

14:14 hrs IST: Uneven bounce and Vijay continues to leave. Batting is getting tougher and tougher with each ball. India are 63/3, lead by 56.

14:08 hrs IST: FOUR! Gentle half-volley from Philander, Kohli leans forward and drives it through cover for his first boundary of the day.

14:04 hrs IST: Chris Lynn provided a vignette of the modern package of robust cricket that IPL is, with his stunning catch to dismiss AB de Villiers in 2014. The Aussie, body arced back and contorted somehow landed inside the rope with ball in hand, as KKR beat RCB on way to their second title. But IPL has also hugely valued its vintage performers. And a small band of 35-plus players will be keen to show where they stand in the player auction at the weekend. An interesting read!

13:58 hrs IST: In walks Virat Kohli. The India captain is the main man here. He needs to put on a partnership with Vijay or else, a 3-0 defeat could well be on the cards.

13:56 hrs IST: WICKET! Rising short of length delivery from Morkel, Pujara looks to defend but gets the shoulder of the bat and du Plessis does the rest at second slip.

13:52 hrs IST: Only three runs have been scored off the first four overs. India need some quick runs here or else pressure will pile up. They are 52/2, Vijay 15*, Pujara 1*

13:49 hrs IST: First runs of the day for Pujara, not convincing though. Gets an inside edge towards backward square leg for a single. He gets off the mark off his fourth ball this innings.

13:46 hrs IST: Morkel has been asking a lot of questions to the Indian batsmen. Faf needs to persist with him in order to get quick wickets. Philander continues.

13:43 hrs IST: And straightaway, there’s a change in bowling. Morne Morkel comes into the attack.

13:39 hrs IST: OUT! And Philander has got his man. Rahul departs. Full and wide outswinger, the India batsman reached out and edged it to the fielder at second slip. Poor shot! Wasn’t needed. Cheteshwar Pujara comes to the crease.

13:35 hrs IST: Tidy over to start off from Rabada. The key is to make both batsmen play every ball. India are 51/2, lead by 44. Vernon Philander comes into the attack.

13:31 hrs IST: Time for live action. Vijay to take strike. Rabada to start the proceedings. It’s going to be an exciting day. First two sessions could well decide the course of the game.

13:20 hrs IST: Title contenders India justified their top billing as they clinically decimated Bangladesh by 131 runs in the quarter-final to set up a mouth-watering last four clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup. Read full report here

13:15 hrs IST: Anything around 200 would be difficult to chase on this track. Both Murali Vijay and KL Rahul looked positive yesterday and the management would hope they continue their solid show.

13:00 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to HT’s live coverage of the Day 3 of the third and final Test between South Africa and India at Johannesburg.

India have endured a torrid time in the series in South Africa. In Cape Town, they were dismissed for under 200 in both innings while another collapse in Centurion resulted in the side losing a series for the first time in two years and prolonging their overseas woes. On day 2 of the third Test, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were the stars for India as they wrecked the South African batting to give the side a chance to salvage some pride.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a gritty fifty, said a total near 200 would be equivalent to 300 on day 1. With the pitch continuing to assist the pacers, India’s batting will hinge on how Virat Kohli and the lower middle order bat. However, with five pacers in the side, South Africa will be determined to expose the weakness of the visitor’s batting line-up. A target in excess of 200 will be very hard for South Africa to chase on this deck.

For the record, India have never lost a Test in Johannesburg, drawing three games and winning one in 2006. That victory was their first-ever in South Africa and in 2018, they could have a chance yet again.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Sidharth Gulati is a sports correspondent at Hindustan Times and has previously worked with NDTV and Sportzwiki. He is passionate about the game of cricket.

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