It is a contest which very few saw coming. A Test match which was threatened by unruly weather has turned out to be a battle of nerves, character and resilience between the world No 1 team India and the 6th placed South Africa. With two days’ play left, the hosts are just 122 runs away from levelling the series while the visiting Indian side needs to spark a batting collapse, since they require 8 wickets in the final innings to clinch a series win and safeguard their fortress Wanderers.
For those uninitiated, India have never lost a Test at Johannesburg's Wanderers stadium, having drawn 3 matches out of the 5 that they have played so far while winning the remaining. But as things stand after the close of play on the third day, South Africa had their noses ahead, thanks to their persistent and dogged captain Dean Elgar.
On a pitch where batsmen are not guaranteed safe passage, most have adopted the aggressive route. But not Elgar, who decided to put his body on the line on a treacherous pitch which had uneven bounce and unpredicted movement of the ball from the surface to reach 46 not out from 121 deliveries with only 2 boundaries. His superb effort on Thursday stood tall between India's aspiration to run through South Africa's top order, with their bowlers being made to toil for their wickets so far.
South Africa were placed comfortably at 118/2 chasing 240 win, with Elgar at the crease and middle-order batsman Rassie van der Dussen (11) on the other end. For India, Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket each, but the fourth day will demand the visiting team bowlers to bring their ‘A’ game forward and make the most of the opportunity.
Thakur trapped South Africa opener Aiden Markram for 31 from only 38 balls with 6 boundaries to provide India with the first breakthrough after the home team openers raced away to a brisk start, knocking off 47 runs from India's target in only the first 10 overs of the innings. Elgar then found a sturdy partner in Keegan Petersen, adding another 46 runs for the second wicket before the latter was trapped in front of the wickets by Ashwin for 28.
South Africa captain Elgar deserved and received rich praise from the cricket community after battling it out against the battery of Indian fast bowlers, not shying away from copping a few blows on his body while preserving his wicket at any cost to keep his side on track for what could be an extremely famous win.
That said, it would be easier said than done since the Indian bowlers will come hard after a full night’s rest knowing that this is their best chance to clinch their first-ever series victory against South Africa in their backyard.
The fourth day of the Johannesburg Test is all set to be the last day of a thrilling contest which has taken place over the last three days. Indeed, fortunes have swung from one team to another but neither side has been thrown out of contention for winning this match. After South Africa took a 27-run lead which also gave them a moral advantage, India lost their openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal for cheap but in a desperate situation, their most senior batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane stood tall.
India legend Sunil Gavaskar had already declared that both Pujara and Rahane were one innings away from being axed from the playing XI. With a team effectively reduced to 17/2 in their second essay, Pujara and Rahane were required to resist and build a strong partnership. It was certainly an adverse task given that South Africa's fast bowling attack is extremely talented, and was operating on a surface with uneven bounce and movement, making life tougher for batsmen.
Pujara and Rahane both came out all guns blazing to record their respective half-centuries while adding a vital 111-run partnership for the third wicket. Pujara made 53 from 78 balls with 10 boundaries whereas Rahane scored 58 from 78 balls with 8 boundaries and a six. India did lose both these batsmen when they were still placed precariously, with their lead under the 150-run mark, but the tail wagged once again in the company of Hanuma Vihari, who scored an extremely important 40 not out from 84 balls with six boundaries.
India were eventually bowled out for 266 with their dashing wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant falling for a three-ball duck, but Ashwin and Thakur contributing with 16 and 28 runs respectively. For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi was the pick among the bowlers with 3/43 from his 10.1 overs whereas Kagiso Rabada took 3/77 and Marco Jansen claimed 3/67.
Devarchit Varma is a cricket writer and journalist with an experience of more than a decade, having worked at Hindustan Times (newspaper) and CricketCountry (website). Along with covering international and domestic cricket, he has also interviewed several current and former top players such as Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Dale Steyn, Michael Hussey, Jacques Kallis, Brendon McCullum, Shane Watson, Lasith Malinga and many more. He has also worked in other beats as a journalist in Bollywood (Reliance BigOye) and IT (SiliconIndia) industries.
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