IND vs SA Day 3 Highlights, 3rd Test: India started the day with a strong intent to pile up as many runs on day 3, with skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara batting on 14* & 9* runs respectively. On contrary, the South African pacers avenged the 1st innings fallout and overwhelmed the Indian batters.
India suffered the first blow on Day 3 in the form of Pujara who failed to even add any runs to his previous day’s score and departed for 9 runs off Marco Jansen’s delivery. The new batter Ajinkya Rahane continued to succumb to his rough patch as he too departed on just 1 run.
Pant scores an unbeaten 100*
The visitors suffered two crucial blows in quick succession. However, the new batter Rishabh Pant arrived on the crease and joined his skipper who saw two departures from the non-striker’s end. Both Kohli and Pant added 94 runs for the 6th wicket in the 2nd session and gave the Indian innings much-needed stability. However, SA pacers who were toiling really hard to break their partnership finally got the big fish i.e., Virat Kohli who departed for 29 runs off Lungi Ngidi’s delivery.
From there on, the Pant led the lone crusade and went on to smack an unbeaten 100* off 139 deliveries. His 4th Test century, after the home series against England in 2021.
The rest of the Indian middle and lower-order failed to withstand the fierce bowling from Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi, as the trio shared all 10 wickets. Jansen finished with the most 4/36 during his spell, while Rabada and Ngidi shared three wickets each. Virat Kohli and Co. put a target of 212 runs for SA after a disastrous fallout on Day 3 after getting all-out on 198.
Keegan Petersen keeps SA in command
Chasing 212 runs to win the 3rd and final test, and the series by 2-1, openers Aiden Markram and skipper Dean Elgar gave the side a positive start. The run-flow was swift early on in their innings, which meant loose ends and mistakes, which Mohammad Shami banked upon. He trapped Markram (16 runs) on the third slip, as South Africa suffered their first blow on 23 runs.
New batter Keegan Petersen came at the third down and joined his skipper who was batting well on the other end. The duo added 78 runs for the 3rd wicket before Jasprit Bumrah struck and dismissed the SA skipper for 30 runs. SA lost their second wicket on the last delivery of Day 3, with Keegan Petersen unbeaten on the crease on 48 runs. They just need 111 runs to win, while India needs 8 wickets to win this series decider of the Freedom Trophy.
IND vs SA Day 3 Highlights:
South Africa: 101-2 (Petersen 48, Shami 1-22) & 210 (Petersen 72, Bavuma 28, Bumrah 5-42) require 111 runs to beat India: 223 (Kohli 79, Pujara 43, Rabada 4-73, Jansen 3-55) & 198 (Pant 100*, Kohli 29, Jansen 4-36, Ngidi 3-21) at Stumps on Day 3.
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