Live Cricket Score - South Africa vs India, 3rd Test, Day 3

Live Score Updates
India 223-10 & 152-5 (48.2 Ovs)
Rishabh Pant 71 (76)
South Africa 210-10
Lungi Ngidi 9.2-4-12-1
Day 3: 2nd Session - India lead by 165 runs

Kohli and Pant helped India recover after the early blows on day 3. © AFP
Have an opinion? Tweet it to @NARbavi and the best ones will make it to this blog.

Pant goes bit

Wow, he is taking on Maharaj here. First, he smashed him over deep midwicket with a slog sweep and the next delivery he comes down the track and hits one over long on. The lead goes past 160 now as a result of those two big sixes. South Africa need Kohli but they badly need Pant's wicket ASAP.

The CricViz AnalystThe CricViz Analyst
@cricvizanalystFollowRishabh Pant's false shot percentage in this innings is now 8.7% - that is the lowest false shot percentage for any batsman in any innings (min 50 balls faced) this series (there are 31 such innings). He's doing this while scoring at 5.17 runs per over. #SAvIND
13 Jan 2022


Lunch - India lead by 143

Great session once again. Two key wickets at the start put India under tremendous pressure but they have responded really well since then. Pant has been very good scoring runs at a good clip to extend the clip and Kohli has shown tremendous restraint once again, batting on 28 off 127 deliveries.

50 for Pant

He has responded to the criticism in style here. He stepped out to Maharaj and hit him for a six even though there was a fielder stationed almost at long on and now he has reached his half-century as well. India are regaining control here.

Terrific stuff from the skipper

Gaurav KalraGaurav Kalra
@gauravkalra75Followkohli has now faced 300 balls in the test match#SAvIND
13 Jan 2022


Rattan KumarRattan Kumar
@rattanthakur102Follow@Narbavi Skipper playing an anchor role and that is exactly what he needs from other end, This partnership can be series deciding factor for india
13 Jan 2022


50-run stand

Well done Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli. These two have slowly steadied the innings when it appeared like India might easily collapse. They have added more than 50 now and Elgar is finally bringing on Maharaj into the attack. Will be interesting to see how Pant responds.

Lead goes past 100

First box of the day ticked for India. Unfortunately, they lost two wickets in the process. Pant has played well. He has counterpunched his way to 25 off just 32 balls and Kohli has remained calm at the other end. Lot of work to be done still though and these two would want to stay at the crease until lunch for now.

Massive innings for Pant

He was under pressure coming into this Test match and responded pretty well by buckling down in the first innings. However, with the pitch playing tricks, how will he respond? India needs runs as well and cannot afford to suddenly find themselves well short of a reasonable total. Pant has already hit Rabada for a couple of boundaries. If the keeper can mix caution with aggression, it will serve India well.

Atish ChintalwarAtish Chintalwar
@atishbaazi_Follow@Narbavi Rahane should return to the domestic circuit and score big runs, in my opinion. Once he has regained mental strength, he can make a comeback. Retirement isn't the answer. He's a true professional. #SAvsIND
13 Jan 2022


Rahane falls

What an awful start for the Indians. They lost Pujara in the first over and now Rahane in the next. To be honest, this was always going to be hard to deal with since the ball just took off after pitching but Rahane didn't have his eyes fixed on the delivery while attempting a tame poke. It takes the glove and evaded the keeper but Elgar manages to hold on to the catch. Umpire gives it not out but South Africa immediately review it and ensure India are 4 down.

Gaurav Dubey गौरव दूबेGaurav Dubey गौरव दूबे
@Dubey_gdFollow@Narbavi I guess Captain and Coach tried their best. Now its time for Indian Selectors to reward guys like Vihari, Iyer, Surya, Priyank & other performers. Remember, if India misses this opportunity to create history, a lot of debate will be on team selection.#INDvsSA
13 Jan 2022


What a start!!

That's a ripper of a catch from Keegan Petersen at leg gully. He gives South Africa an incredible start as Marco Jansen bowls a short ball at Pujara's body only for him to glance it behind and boy, Petersen dives full length and takes it after the ball goes past him. Simply, outstanding!! India have been rocked very early as Rahane strides out to the middle.

Surface

The expectation at the start of the Test match was that it would be a batting friendly surface. Instead, it's been challenging for the batters right from the word go. The seamers have constantly found seam movement to pose questions and the legendary Sunil Gavaskar in his pitch report says that it is only going to get harder today. This Test match is essentially a second innings shootout so that lays a lot of emphasis on today's play.

Build up

Hello and welcome to the live blog of this crucial third day's play in the Newlands Test. We witnessed plenty of action in the opening two days with 22 wickets gone already. South Africa fell just 13 runs short of India's total in their first innings but they could have easily fetched a substantial lead themselves. At one stage, they remained in control as Keegan Petersen forged useful partnerships with Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma. But as it's been the case in recent times, India's seam attack bailed them out yet again.

Mohammed Shami struck twice in the space of three deliveries to pull India back into the contest and Jasprit Bumrah joined the party to end up with a five-wicket haul. That comeback in the second half of the day has truly raised India's hopes of securing a series in South Africa for the very first time. But for that to happen, they will once again look up to Virat Kohli. The skipper had to stride out to the middle early yet again with South Africa packing off KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal before stumps yesterday.

Cheteshwar Pujara has looked solid as well and the duo will have to bat well to maintain India's grip on this Test match. The lead is now 70, it's only marginal. South Africa know that a couple of early wickets will tilt the balance yet again. On the other hand, India know that if they can manage to bat out the entire day, they will most likely go on to win the Test match. Kohli vs Rabada is the duel we are all looking forward to for now. Let's hope we get to witness a fascinating contest.