India vs South Africa Highlights, 3rd Test, Day 3: Elgar falls late as SA reach 101/2 at Stumps

Shardul Thakur flicks the delivery onto his pads but the ball keeps in the air and almost carries to mid-wicket! The tailenders playing with fire once again.

Ashwin falls. A loose shot again. Ashwin goes for an adventurous cover drive and finds a thick edge. Marco Jansen takes a fairly simple catch at gully.

India 162/6, lead by 175

Both batters dealing in singles and rightly so. Ashwin had a heart-in-the-mouth moment in the previous over against Ngidi and if India lose another wicket here, things can get complicated.

India 161/5, lead by 174

Ashwin survives. He goes for a glory shot and finds a thick edge, but the ball rises a bit too much for Aiden Markram at second slip. Need to remain focusses here.

India 158/5, lead by 171 

A loose delivery from Ngidi and Ashwin gets off the mark. A little short of a length and outside-off, and Ashwin plays with a soft hand as he cuts it square.

India 156/5, lead by 169

Virat Kohli is out! Big wicket for South Africa, this. After restraining for so long, Kohli finally gives in and goes for a cover drive. A lapse in concentration there.

Thick outside edge gets carried to man at second slip and Ngidi gets his first wicket of the innings.

India 152/5, lead by 165

A very expensive over from Maharaj and South Africa are losing the momentum here. Need either Rabada or Jansen from Maharaj's end to keep the flow of runs in check.

India 151/4, lead by 164

Pant again! The left-hander gets down on one knee and smacks the delivery outside-off for a big six over the mid-wicket for his first six, and then charges down the track to hit the ball over the empty long-off area!

India 148/4, lead by 161

Almost as if there was no break. Loose lines from Lungi Ngidi and Pant says thank you very much. Easy rotation of strike from the young wicketkeeper-batter to keep the scoreboard ticking.

India 136/3, lead by 149

South Africa started the second session with Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi bowled the second over after lunch, which is a bit strange as both bowlers haven't exactly put pressure on either of the two batters.

India 134/4, lead by 147

Kohli and Pant take the crease for the second session of the day. India will be aiming for both to continue with a similar approach, while the Proteas eye a breakthrough.

India lead by 143 runs.

A fine session for India despite the early setbacks. After Pujara (9) and Rahane (1) were dismissed early, Rishabh Pant (51) helped Virat Kohli (28*) stabilise the Indian innings as the duo takes the visitors to 130/4 at Lunch. India's lead is currently 143, so there's work to be done.

A brilliant half-century from the Indian youngster! Pant brings his fifty with a flick towards mid-wicket against Jansen. A controlled innings from Pant and a very important one as well.

India 129/4, lead by 142

Rishabh Pant steps out and clears the fielder at long-on! First six of the innings. Maharaj pitches it a little fuller and Pant seizes the opportunity.

India 126/4, lead by 139

Maharaj to Pant for what could be the penultimate over before lunch on Day 3.

Kohli has been very disciplined and wary but Aakash Chopra says that he might have been missing out on run-scoring opportunities.

“Not his natural way of playing. Many a times, when you start playing with such an approach, you lose out on many run-scoring opportunities as well,” says Aakash Chopra on-air about Kohli's batting at the moment.

India 120/4, lead by 133

The strategy looks simple here from South Africa. With lunch approaching, the Proteas are aiming to entice Pant into making a mistake. Great restraint shown so far from the youngster, however.

India 117/4, lead by 130

A poor delivery to end the over as he bowls down the leg side and Kohli, again, only needs to guide it through. 

The partnership between both batters is past the 50-run mark.

India 115/4, lead by 127

First sight of spin on Day 3. Keshav Maharaj replaces Marco Jansen.

A 41st no-ball for Rabada in this series and that eventually results in an easy boundary down the leg side. These runs can hurt South Africa dearly later.

India 110/4, lead by 123

Kagiso Rabada has bowled 40 – Yes – 40, F-O-R-T-Y no balls in this series!

For the record, he had bowled 62 before the start of this series. 

A solid partnership is brewing for India, but the key, as it is often emphasised, is to remain focused. Five runs off Jansen's over as India's score moves to 103/4, lead by 116.

Rishabh Pant takes India to three-figure mark with a lofted cut towards deep square leg. 

India 100/4, lead by 113 runs

Kohli wary of the ball moving away. Excellent judgment of the ball throughout this over from the captain. 1 run off the over as India move to 98/4. Lead by 111

Elgar brings Rabada back into the attack. A wise decision as well.