Live Blog: India vs South Africa, second Test, Day 3

It’s another terrific bumper, right at Bumrah who goes on the back foot to pull, it keeps getting bigger on him and dings off the splice of the bat, may have taken some glove on the way too, goes straight up in the air and it’s a dolly for Verreynne the keeper. Immediately after the wicket, the umpire has a word with Bavuma about the follow-on. South Africa have bowled India out for 201, and will bat again.

Fifth catch for Aiden Markram in this innings and what a co-incidence as it delivers the fifer to the Protean pacer. Lifter on the fourth-stump line, Kuldeep defends with an open face and the outside-edge flies to Markram’s left. Bumrah pats Kuldeep on the helmet in appreciation for his rearguard vigil but the second new-ball has made an instant impact.

Even as Sundar’s innings today has had the highest control percentage against spin, 92.9%, South Africa have managed to convert a false stroke into a wicket.
Harmer has inflicted an important blow before the second new ball, drawing the outside edge from Sundar’s willow on the verge of a half-century. HE departs having faced 92 balls.

Good rearguard action this from the lower-order pair of Kuldeep and Washington but South Africa are well ahead. It will take a monumental effort for India to claw back into this contest, and the odds are stacked in the favour of a whitewash, which means India would have lost two homes series agonizingly in recent times. We will be back for the last session in 35 minutes…

Leaving you with an interesting bit of trivia – the last time India were asked to follow-on in a home Test was by South Africa in Nagpur in 2010 – their last win in the country before the start of this series.

A wide slip in and a forward short-leg. A gully too as Jansen steams in, determined to topple the last few dominoes as South Africa aim to take irrevocable control of the Guwahati Test and clean sweep India in the rubber.

He has been involved in several defining lower-order led rearguard efforts over the years and India desperately need him to conjure up one today. Kuldeep Yadav has faced over 50 balls so Washington would be happy with his mate’s survival skills, but a wicket here could really expedite the end of India’s underwhelming innings.

Jansen has arrested three wickets without conceding a single run off the 20 balls he has pitched shorter than the back-of-a-length in this innings so far. He has battered and bruised India after the tea break and the hosts are on their knees in Guwahati. What a ferocious spell that was from the left-armer, generating vicious bounce and peppering the batters with chin music.

Simon Harmer has been tonked for a six down the ground by India’s talented all-rounder after a back of a length delivery from Jansen was slapped hard through covers. South Africa won’t mind these aggressive strokes because it also creates the chance for a wicket. Mind you, Kuldeep Yadav is partnering Washington at the crease.

At 105/4, Pant shimmied down the track for a big slog, true to his counterattacking nature. The ball is hammered on a length and all he manages to do is edge it to the keeper. Wastes a review too. India were in deep trouble, and their worries were compounded by the departures of Nitish Reddy, who wasn’t in control of a fending block, and Ravindra Jadeja, whose exit was also plotted by a vicious lifter. Marco Jansen is extracting steep bounce due to his height, and India are imploding catastrophically in Guwahati.

It’s a short ball ball that does the job for Jansen. Dhruv Jurel attempts a pull with lack of conviction, sans footwork and miscues it towards wide mid-on. Maharaj is quick to glide across to his right and complete the formalities.

Jurel was the last casualty in a session of two halves for India, departing for a duck, tightening South Africa’s grip on the session. South Africa will be quite satisfied with how that session unfolded, as their comeback undid the good work the Indian openers did to start things off.

India in a spot of bother as an agile Ryan Rickelton at mid-wicket sends Sai Sudharsan packing. A short ball by Simon Harmer and its pulled powerfully towards the catcher stationed there. Rickelton moves sharply to his left and hangs on, albeit on the rebound.

That’s a huge breakthrough! Grip and turn, Jaiswal was camping back in the crease. The ball digs into the surface slightly and Jaiswal ends up getting an outside edge towards short third man. Jansen stationed there takes a fine low catch and with that dismissal, both the Indian openers are back into the pavilion.

End of an excellent knock by Jaiswal, but India wanted more from him as they still trail by a significant margin of 394 runs. The South African spinners are making the most of the purchase from this surface. Ominous signs for the home side.

Jaiswal brings up his fifty and raises his bat to soak in the applause! Cuts a shortish delivery towards backward point and a misfield enables him to come back for the brace. Sai Sudharsan walks up to him and congratulates him. He gets a standing ovation from the spectators in Guwahati.

While the previous over bowled by Simon Harmer yielded 11 runs owing to a six off a loopy tempter, Keshav Maharaj has brought South Africa back into the contest by dislodging the equanimous KL Rahul.

Shabby fielding from Temba Bavuma who lets slip a wristy flick from KL Rahul. Four bonus runs for India where there should’ve been none. He also fumbled a dab into the off-side in the previous over to allow a single, and South Africa would expect a tighter effort in the field from their captain who is generally safe as houses.

Audacious sweep from Jaiswal as India begin the moving day on a really positive note. He had to use his reach to fetch this ball, as opposed to the previous sweep when it was in the range, and he brings those long levers into play smartly. India are making a conscious effort to press forward, given the amount of turn the surface possesses.

The backward square leg region is one of his productive scoring zones and Yashasvi Jaiswal has given South Africa an inkling. Tossed up delivery around middle, he goes down on his knee and puts it away to the fence with a well-executed sweep shot. Right out of the screws!

Keshav Maharaj into the attack. Three men deep on the leg-side and protection at deep point. There is turn on offer, as evidenced by the second delivery of this over that spun in and rapped Yashasvi Jaiswal on the pads. In fact, there’s going to be spin from both ends as Simon Harmer measures his run-up.

For those just joining in, we’d like to inform you that this is the inaugural Test match at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati.