The Proteas are still 74 short of India’s first innings score of 201.
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Earlier, De Villiers, who managed a fighting 83-ball 63, had raised hopes of his team overpowering India’s first innings total of 201, but the Indian spin force did the trick. Competitive cricket is where a batsman and a bowler have equal opportunities.
Talking about the key to spinners’ success on this track, Henderson said, “In the past, I haven’t seen one Indian spinner not being successful at home and a lot of spinners in the past have come here and they have found it hard”. And Manjrekar, on commentary, said, “I am relieved to see Ashwin and Jadeja (starting the session)”.
He was well assisted by fellow tweakers Ravindra Jadeja (3-55) and Amit Mishra (2-55).
The Proteas lost three wickets in the morning session – all of them to Ashwin – to go to lunch on 127-5 in their first innings, trailing India’s 201 by 74 runs with five wickets in hand.
Many had thought that with Virat Kohli at the helm in the test series, India will do remarkably better than the ODI series that the team gave to South Africa on a platter. “So it’s not a very good cricket wicket but it is a result wicket which can go either way”, said a blunt Elgar after the end of the day’s play. It is a result wicket which is expected when you come here.
De Villiers also got a lucky reprieve in the 25th over of the day after Jadeja induced an outside edge of the star player’s bat and Virat Kohli took a clean catch. It was a diffucult but not an impossive chance.
India got rid of the South Africa all-rounder with scoreboard reading 85 for 3 in 37.4 overs.
Jadeja, returning to the side after an absence of nearly 15 months, and Ashwin added a crucial 42 for the eighth wicket before the left-hander was out lbw to Philander. His laboured knock of 37 from 123 deliveries contained two fours.
Medium-pacer Stiaan van Zyl, the sixth bowler summoned by South African captain Hashim Amla, broke the threatening partnership soon after the drinks interval by having Kohli caught behind for 29. Ashwin struck two more quick blows.
Wriddhiman Saha could not collect the ball cleanly but the stumping was completed as the ball ricocheted off the keeper’s chest before Amla returned to the crease. Alma made 47 runs from 97 balls and reached the fence six times. His wicket fell at 105.
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Ashwin had picked up the first South African wicket near the close of day one, and on Friday the off-spinner first had Elgar caught by Jadeja and then inflicted a double blow in the 46th over, as Amla was stumped and Dane Vilas caught at backward square leg.
