Ravindra Jadeja spun a web around the South African batters as his 4-wicket haul has pegged South Africa further back to restrict them to 93/7 in 35 overs and have a lead of 63 runs with 3 wickets in hand. It’s been a struggle for the South African batters with captain Temba Bavuma fighting it out and keeping South Africa in the game. India on top but need to wipe out the innings as soon as possible. An intriguing Day 3 awaits us now.
Ravindra Jadeja’s 3-wicket haul rocks South Africa.
Wiaan Mulder came out to join Aiden Markram in the middle and got off the mark straightaway. Axar Patel had the ball in hand from the other end and gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Ravindra Jadeja was now given the ball and he struck for India getting rid of Markram for 4 off 23 balls.
Jadeja bowled a full delivery on the leg stump line that pitched and spun away with some bounce and stopped on the batter as well. Markram got low to sweep and was early through the shot and closed his bat face way too early and he tried to check his shot but managed only a top edge that lobbed up to short leg. Jurel leapt and took a two-handed catch. Captain Temba Bavuma came out to bat next.
Axar continued and bowled a decent over. Jadeja bowled a probing over. Axar also bowled another quiet over. Jadeja bowled another quiet over. Bumrah came back into the attack. He too bowled a probing over. Jadeja continued as Mulder broke the shackles by sweeping it down to deep fine leg where Bumrah was lazy to get down as the ball went away to the fence. Bumrah bowled a maiden over. Jadeja struck once again as he removed Mulder for 11 off 30 balls with one four to his name.
Jadeja bowled a full ball pitching on the off-stump line and it spun away and a bit of extra bounce for the left-arm spinner. Mulder pressed forward to defend and failed to counter the spin and bounce and got a faint outside part of the gloves on it and Pant took a sharp catch. Tony de Zorzi came out to bat next and got off the mark with a brace. Jadeja removed de Zorzi as he had two in the over. Tony de Zorzi fell for 2 off 2 balls.
Jadeja bowled a good length delivery on the middle stump line that pitched and spun back in. Tony stayed back and looked to work it across the line but failed to tackle the extra bounce that deflected onto the front thigh pad and looped it to forward short leg where Jurel took another sharp catch. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next. Bumrah continued as Bavuma completed 2000 runs in the WTC cycle.
Bavuma got an educated edge past the gully fielder for a boundary off Bumrah. Jadeja continued as Bavuma got down on one knee and swept it along the ground through square leg for a boundary. Kuldeep Yadav came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Jadeja continued and bowled another superb over.
Kuldeep continued as Bavuma rocked back and made room and slapped it past covers for a boundary. So, South Africa reached 60/4 in 22 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break, the final one of the day.
India chipped away at the wickets to further push South Africa back.Â
Ravindra Jadeja continued after the break and he removed Tristan Stubbs for 5 off 18 balls. This was also Jadeja’s 250th Test wicket at home. Jadeja kept it a bit shorter and bowled it wide of the crease with the line around middle and the ball turned away sharply from there. Tristan Stubbs was caught in the crease and tried to push at it but got squared up by a sharp turn. The ball beat the outside edge of the bat and rattled the top of off-stump. Kyle Verreynne came out to bat next.
Axar Patel came back into the attack. He bowled a decent over. Jadeja bowled another decent over. Axar continued and bowled a decent over even as Jurel put down a tough chance at backward square leg. Jadeja bowled another maiden over. Axar continued as Verreynne backed away and threw his hands at it as he sliced it off the outer half of the bat to the left of backward point region for a boundary. Axar hit back and cleaned up Kyle Verreynne for 9 off 16 balls with a boundary to his name.
Axar slowed it up and bowled it fuller but kept the line around off-stump and got the ball to come in with that from around the wicket. Kyle got down and remained leg side of the ball and looked to fetch out with a sweep shot. He missed as he played across the line and got beaten on the inside edge. The ball went onto hit the middle stump. Marco Jansen came out to bat next and was adjudged LBW but he reviewed and the impact showed it to be outside off-stump. Good review and the decision was overturned.
Jadeja continued and bowled another probing over. Jansen decided to take the attacking route as he clubbed Axar over deep midwicket for the maximum. Jadeja continued and bowled another good over. Kuldeep Yadav came back into the attack. They appealed for LBW against Bavuma which was not given. Kuldeep forced Pant to go for DRS and India burnt the review. Axar returned to the attack and bowled a probing over. Kuldeep got the breakthrough and broke the budding stand removing Jansen for 13 off 16 balls with a maximum to his name.
Kuldeep bowled flighted full delivery around the off-stump as Jansen got down and tried to sweep it but missed his shot. The ball got the top edge and went to the left of the first slip where KL Rahul remained alert and extended his hands to pluck it out of thin air. Corbin Bosch came out to bat next. Jadeja continued and bowled a good over as South Africa reached 93/7 in 35 overs. The light metres came out and bad light ended proceedings with Bavuma batting on 29* and Bosch batting on 1*. 8 extras given by India so far.
Ravindra Jadeja has been the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 4/29 in 13 overs. Kuldeep Yadav supported him well with figures of 2/12 in 5 overs. Axar Patel got a wicket and finished with 1/30 in 11 overs. Jasprit Bumrah bowled 6 overs for 14 runs.
What Lies Ahead for Tomorrow.Â
The most important session went India’s way as they picked up 6 wickets in that session of play and after 2 days of play, it will be fair to say that India have their noses in front. South Africa lead by 63 runs with 3 wickets in hand. India will have to wipe out the tail as Temba Bavuma is the last hope for South Africa. South Africa needs a lead of 130+ to put pressure on India. India will want to chase less than 100 runs.
An intriguing third day which will most likely be the final day of the Test match awaits us all. India on top, but South Africa not out of it yet.
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