'India will take a lead of 200 runs' - Former India opener predicts Day 3 of the second Test

The second Test between South Africa and India are becoming interesting with each passing day. After getting all out for 202 in their first innings, Team India managed to restrict the hosts within 229. And, now they have been playing their second innings. They scored 85/2 before the Stumps on Day 2. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle, former India opener Aakash Chopra predicted that India will have more than 200 runs lead on the third day of the second Test.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra predicted that South Africa will need to chase more than 200 runs to draw the three-match Test series. He said: “I feel India will take a lead of 200 runs. We might not reach too far but we should go beyond 200, that is what I believe.”

The veteran expects South African pacer Kagiso Rabada to be at his best while taking wickets in the visitors’ second innings. Chopra shared: “Rabada will pick up three wickets. He can take more as well, he has got something going for him. I feel this time he will take 2-3 wickets quickly.”

READ: Shardul Thakur takes 7 wickets, scripts history at The Wanderers

Although Rabada is yet to take a wicket in India’s second innings, he has claimed ten wickets in the series so far, including three wickets in India’s first innings at the Wanderers as well. Aakash Chopra also hopes that the trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur and Hanuma Vihari will contribute with the bat too.

He added: “Ashwin, Shardul and Vihari – all of them together – will score more than 50 runs. They will have to do that as well if you want to reach till 200 because after that the expectations of runs will reduce slightly.”

‘This is a Test match of a maximum of three-and-a-half days’ – Aakash Chopra

The veteran commentator also stated that the Indian bowlers will successfully remove the South African top order before Stumps on Day 3. Meanwhile, the pitch gives a lot of assistance to the pace bowlers and it will be interesting to see how the visitors will perform.

“I feel before the end of the day’s play, India will pick up three or more wickets. I mean 11 wickets on the first day, 11 wickets on the second day, it is possible 11 or 12 wickets might fall on the third day as well. This is a Test match of a maximum of three-and-a-half days, this is not going to the fifth day,” Aakash Chopra concluded.

However, Team India have a fair chance to win the series in South Africa. So far, they have never won a Test series in the rainbow nation and they can script history this time.