Kohli leads India’s resistance as hosts take 5 wickets

While they still trailed by 152 runs, India were still in the game, with Kohli having made 85 of their 183 runs, and Hardik Pandya still at the crease. India will need Kohli and Hardik Pandya to stage a partnership of epic proportions.

Considering the ongoing form of the TeamIndia in the series overseas against South Africa, there are various prominent people who are showing some serious concerns about the team’s performance in foreign pitches. Sharma clean bowled the home captain to make sure South Africa was kept in check.

Vijay and Lokesh Rahul started solidly and put on 28 for the first wicket before Rahul was caught and bowled by Morne Morkel, with the bowler holding on to a firm drive as he followed through.

“It was a great touch from him”. Jasprit Bumrah is the last man to walks in and gets hit on the hamlet right away as he takes his eyes off a rising delivery while trying to defend.

Vijay, at the other end, batted with patience, backing his defensive techniques to the hilt. But pacers were cold as only Ishant Sharma among the Indian pacers was among wickets. But against the run of play, India found themselves in the mire. However, one full session still remained and as India had shown on the first day, plenty could happen in a session.

In walked Kohli and there began the damage-repair work. Vijay scored a fighting 46 but Keshav Maharaj sent him back. That door was duly kicked ajar, with both Rohit Sharma and Parthiv Patel falling.

Rahane failed despite being given numerous chances with the bat and that is a tough pill for him to swallow. “We’ve hit the wicket pretty hard and been able to get a bit of carry through”.

Parthiv Patel wanted to be positive and added 32 with Kohli but Ngidi got his first Test wicket when got the nuggety keeper to edge behind to Quinton de Kock for 19. It was pitched on the middle stump and if it was Newlands, the ball could well would have ended up in the hands of a slip fielder not at the deep. India once again have Kohli to thank for ensuring that things are not worse than what they are at the moment.

Although Ashwin (3/90 in 31 overs) did most of the damage the plaudits were equally due to their seamers who stuck manfully to their task in unhelpful conditions coupled to extreme heat. The offspinner even had the mortification of seeing Rabada dropped off successive balls. First, Kagiso Rabada (on 1) was dropped at slip off Ashwin by Kohli. He was caught saying “Shaam Tak Khelenge, Inki G***D Fat Jaegi” which roughly meant that if they manage to play until the end of the day, then the South Africans will be pissed off. But this time it was off spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, who bowled nearly twice as many overs as any of the seamers and took three of the four wickets to fall to a bowler.