India were batting at 139/6 at tea on the first day of their fourth and final cricket Test against South Africa being played at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Thursday.
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No matter which side of the fence you were on during the third Test between India and South Africa, everyone can agree that the wicket was dodgy as hell.
Off-spinner Dane Piedt (4-101) and quick Kyle Abbott (3-23) put the Proteas on top at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, with their impressive bowling hard to read for the opposition batsmen, who faced 84 overs before the end of play. “I think getting them out for under 250 will be a good enough score”, the young spinner asserted.
However, the last session was a big one for India as Rahane took charge with a mixture of determined defence and aggressive counter-attack to tinish the day with the highest individual innings of the series to date – 89 not out off 155 balls, 9 fours and 2 sixes.
Rahane led the fightback after the break by reaching his first home half-century – only five of his 22 Test have been in India – from 91 balls.
Captain Virat Kohli was the top-scorer for the hosts with 44.
The world’s top-ranked Test team were beaten inside three days in Mohali and Nagpur while India also dominated what little play was possible in the rain-ruined match in Bangalore. And he should have had his first five-wicket haul as first umpire Kumar Dharmasena failed to spot a gloved chance to short leg and then Hashim Amla dropped a chance at slip offered by India’s top scorer, Ajinkya Rahane. Piedt trapped Dhawan leg before with one that turned sharply before hitting the Delhi batsman on his pads in front of off and middle.
The burly paceman returned to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja in the final session that saw 92 runs being scored at the cost of just one wicket.
The ball ballooned up after hitting the evading fielder on his thigh and wicketkeeper Dane Vilas sprinted from behind the stumps before diving full stretch to take the catch. The left-hander hit four boundaries, including an elegant drive through the covers off Morkel.
Vijay earned a reprieve on 10 when he edged a delivery from Abbott to AB de Villiers at second slip.
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The tourists brought in Bavuma, Abbott and Piedt in place of Stiaan van Zyl, Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer.
