South African skipper Hashim Alma said that he will rely on a seam bowling attack.
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South Africa has not won a Test series on Indian soil since 2000, having drawn 1-1 on its last two visits in 2008 and 2010.
Team India director Ravi Shastri, without knowing that Mohali curator Daljit Singh has no other option but to dole out a wicket like this, was right in demanding a turning track to push for home advantage. Amit Mishra tried to hit out but became Elgar’s fourth victim.
If pitches could bat, bowl and field it would be they and not the cricketers who ply their trade on them that would be the ones doing the canvassing in TV adverts, selling everything from soft drinks and fairness creams to household appliances and automobiles. “It is a very challenging wicket”. I am not saying it is good or bad. By a good wicket -a batting paradise – doesn’t mean that spectators come in purely for the fun of run-making. South Africa will play Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, on what looks like a spinning paradise. “Batsmen should cope with it”, he said.
Elgar trapped Pujara leg-before for 31 with his fourth delivery when he was summoned by Amla to bowl the 22nd over.
Ashwin (4-36), who had sent opener Stiaan van Zyl (5) back in the pavilion on the opening day, got the prized wickets of overnight batsmen Dean Elgar (37), Hashim Amla (43) and then Dane Vilas (1). Daljit was sacked as a result but was brought back earlier than expected.
The slow left-armer, who had managed only six wickets in his previous 17 Tests, helped dismiss India after tea despite the home side winning the toss. “Kudos to India, if they are going to prepare pitches like this! Cricket’s cricket. It’s very hard to say who is favorite but we’re up for it”. “It is my personal opinion”, Elgar said after taking 4/22 on Thursday. It did turn, but not square.
Neville Cardus always called “cricket, a great leveller” and his prophecy once more came true for Sikhar Dhawan. Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and even Vijay got out to loose shots and whenever someone looked compact, they hardly faced problems. “It was more mental”. He is now trailing Pollock by just 19 wickets. As Vijay showed, runs can be made on this wicket.
Well the PCA Stadium here demonstrated what Test cricket is all about where batsmen had to fight it out in the middle. Towards the end of the day, you could spot dust when the ball pitched in certain areas and it will need something special from Proteas’ batsmen if they want to keep their hopes afloat.
When the South African media manager introduced Elgar as an all-rounder it drew a few laughter from the scribes, but the surprise hero of the day was hardly surprised.
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Both teams went into the game with five bowlers but each stuck to their strengths.
