Related Links: India Tour of South Africa 2013/14 – Schedule | SA Vs Ind, 1st Test at Johannesburg – Scorecard
Cheteshwar Pujara on his way to his 6th Test century in Johannesburg
Team India is smelling a rare Test victory on South African soil after finishing the crucial third day’s play with an overall lead of 320 runs with still 8 wickets in hand! Cheteshwar Pujara was the hero of the day, scoring an unbeaten 135 from 221 balls with 18 fours. Giving him company in a massive 191-run unbroken stand for the 3rd wicket is first innings centurion Virat Kohli, who has stroked his way to 77* from 132 balls with 8 fours.
Before Pujara and Kohli show, it was the Indian bowlers who did a commendable job to bowl their team to a 36-run first innings lead in the morning. Like how it happened to the Indians on Day 2, South Africa too had a quick collapse resuming their innings on a fresh morning. SA resuming Day 3 at 213 for 6 were bundled out for 244 losing their last four wickets for just 21 runs in the morning session.
Overnight batsman Vernon Philander did manage to score a fifty but got out for 59, edging Zaheer Khan to the slips. Ishant Sharma produced a snorter of a short ball to have Dale Steyn fending him off to gully. Faf du Plessis fell to Zaheer Khan, edging a frontfoot defence to MS Dhoni. Last wicket to fall was that of Morne Morkel with Zaheer Khan cleaning up the left-hander’s off stump with a reversing yorker. India bowled incredibly well using reverse swing to perfection. Both Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma captured four wickets each while there was no need of Mohammed Shami to have a bowl at all on Day 3.
India’s second innings started with Shikhar Dhawan pushing hard and edging an away going delivery from Vernon Philander in the 8th over. Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship after that with a solid partnership of 70. Murali Vijay (39 from 94 balls) got out just before Tea, caught down the legside by the keeper, trying to flick a harmless delivery from Jacques Kallis.
South Africa were handicapped by the loss of Morne Morkel following a freak injury in the afternoon session. Morkel twisted his right ankle while fielding at long leg and was carried out of the ground. News is that Morne Morkel is out of the remainder of the Test match and shall bat only if required. The giant fast bowler has also been ruled out from the Boxing Day Test at Durban. South African bowling following his loss was very weak with only Dale Steyn looking penetrative. The Proteas even used Wicket Keeper AB de Villiers to bowl an over of slow medium pace while Hashim Amla took over the keeping gloves for the first time ever in his first-class career!
Video Report of SA Vs Ind, Day 3, 1st Test at Johannesburg
