Centurion: Virat Kohli scored a fifty but India failed to put up a fight with the bat to go down by an innings and 32 runs against South Africa in the opening Test in Centurion on Thursday.
India were bundled out for 131 in 34.1 overs in their second innings on the third day after they dismissed South Africa for 408 in 108.4 overs.
The visitors had scored 245 in the first innings. On Thursday, South Africa added 152 runs to their overnight score of 256 for 5 to take their overall lead to 163 runs. Proteas pace trio of Nandre Burger (4/33), Kagiso Rabada (2/32) and Marco Jansen (3/36) then smothered the visitors with a disciplined attack. Earlier, Marco Jansen was unbeaten on 84, while opener Dean Elgar scored 185 to emerge as the top-scorer for the hosts.
South Africa added 152 runs to their overnight total of 256 for 5 to swell their overall lead to 163 runs. At the break, Virat Kohli (18) and Shreyas Iyer (6) were at the crease.
Earlier, Dean Elgar missed out on a well-deserved maiden double hundred but inflicted enough damage on India in the company of young Marco Jansen to potentially bat the visitors out of the Test.
Elgar (185 off 287 balls), whose previous highest Test score is 199, was inching towards his maiden double hundred before a faint tickle to a leg-side bouncer from Shardul Thakur brought about his end.
But that didn't deter the lanky Jansen, not exactly famous for his batting prowess. He easily negotiated a deflated Indian attack that looked out of sorts and bereft of ideas to finish with 84 not out off 147 balls, which included 11 fours and a six, and swell South Africa's total considerably. The Elgar-Jansen pair added 111 runs for the sixth wicket.
With South Africa leading by 163 runs, it's going to be a Herculean task for India's batters to save the game.
The sun is beating down, odd balls are keeping low and survival isn't an option against a quality Proteas attack. India’s bowlers were even more disappointing on the third morning.
Shardul Thakur (1/101 in 19 overs) and Prasidh Krishna (1/93 in 19 overs) sprayed it all over the place, only to be mercilessly punished by former Proteas skipper Elgar and lanky left-arm seamer Jansen.
The pair drove, pulled, cut at their own will and neither the old ball nor the semi-new ball could bring about any change in fortune for the visiting team bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah (4/69 in 26.4 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (2/91 in 24 overs) once again were unlucky as they repeatedly beat the bat of Elgar and Jansen but didn't have the rub of the green going their way.
However, Prasidh and Thakur were not only below-par but also missed both line and length. Prasidh was inducted into the squad to hit the deck and generate extra pace off the surface but he missed the trick by consistently bowling length balls. Even someone like Gerald Coetzee dispatched him into the stands. On a track that demanded that the bowlers bend their backs, Thakur literally floated the deliveries, which were hit all around the park. When he started using the short ball tactic, Jansen hooked him for good as he didn't have enough pace to hurry the batter.
The only bowler who came out with his reputation intact was Ravichandran Ashwin, who for most part came from an angular run-up but ended with figures of 1/41 in 19 overs.
Even his effort wasn't enough, as the Prasidh-Shardul duo, having already conceded nearly 200 runs (193 in 38 overs) cumulatively in less than 40 overs, severely dented their team's chances of redemption. —PTI
