Johannesburg: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah brought back India into the match in style they restricted the much-fancied South African batting line-up to just 194 on the second day of the third and final Test at the Wanderers on Thursday. The day saw India’s best performance in the series so far with both bat and ball.
Bumrah produced one of the finest displays of pace bowling and also registered his maiden five-wicket haul (5/54) in only his third Test as India edged past the Proteas at the end of the day’s play.
Kumar, on the first day had given India a slender advantage by dismissing opener Aiden Markram towards the end of Day 1 sent back his partner Dean Elgar (4) to get India off to a good start. But nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada and Hashim Amla stitched a 64-run stand that nailed the team out of trouble. Ishant Sharma broke this stand when he sent back Rabada for a well-made 30 of 84 balls to leave the hosts at 80/3 and in a space of 12 more runs, Kumar got one to swing in and go through the defences of the dangerous AB de Villiers. India, once again were in the contest.
The unorthodox Bumrah was the next to strike as sent back South African skipper Faf Du Plessis for just eight runs to keep up the pressure on the Proteas batsmen. With de Kock’s dismissal with South Africa at 125/6, Virat Kohli and co were well and truly in the hunt to skittle out the hosts before they made 187.
But Amla continued to fight and his 61 runs helped South Africa to 194 on a difficult pitch as Kumar ended up with three wickets and continued to prove why he is so crucial for the Indian team.
Having gained a slender lead of seven runs, Parthiv Patel surprisingly came out to bat with Murali Vijay and the move didn’t pay off as the wicket-keeper batsman was soon removed by Vernon Philander. But KL Rahul, who walked in at number three in the place of Cheteshwar Pujara ensured that no more damage was done as India safely reached 49/1 with a 42-run lead in the kitty.
Brief scores-
India 187 all out and 49/1 (Parthiv Patel 16, KL Rahul 16*; Vernon Philander 1/11) lead South Africa 194 all out (Hashim Amla 61, Vernon Philander 35; Jasprit Bumrah 5/54) by 42 runs