Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant put on a crucial partnership in excess of fifty on day 3 of the Cape Town Test as India lost Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane cheaply in the first hour.
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India started day 3 of the Cape Town Test in horror fashion when they lost Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane cheaply. But, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have steadied the innings in grand style. For the second time since 2018, Kohli once again consumed over 100 balls. The skipper ensured that the South Africa bowlers would not get an easy breakthrough. He was well supported by Rishabh Pant who smashed his first fifty against South Africa. At lunch on day 3, India was 130/4, leading by 143 runs against a determined South Africa attack.
The day started with more question marks on the future of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Both batsmen have been under the pump for lack of big contributions and once again, they were undone. Pujara glanced a short ball from Marco Jansen but he was dismissed thanks to a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Keegan Petersen at leg gully. Ajinkya Rahane received a brute of a delivery from Kagiso Rabada that leapt up from the pitch and he was out for 1.
Read – Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane fall cheaply on day 3 of Cape Town Test
When Rishabh Pant came to the crease, the situation was pretty dire for India. Many expected him to control his natural game after the horror shot that he played in Johannesburg. As well as a failure in the first innings, the pressure was on Pant. But, he played in only one way that he knew. He counterattacked in grand style. Pant slammed two fours off Kagiso Rabada.
After getting hit on the ribs by an in-cutter from Lungi Ngidi, Pant got another boundary. At the other end, Virat Kohli was hanging in there as Rabada and the South Africa pacers continuously troubled the Indian captain. But, when Duanne Olivier and Ngidi operated, the pressure seemed to ease off.
Pant hit another boundary and the confidence rubbed off on Kohli who also hit a couple of boundaries. As the lunch session neared, both batsmen were confident and aggressively running the singles and doubles. Pant neared his fifty with a big six off Keshav Maharaj over long-on. In the final over, the left-hander reached his maiden fifty against South Africa.
With Kohli looking solid and with Pant in aggressive mode, India will be determined to give South Africa a target in excess of 250-270. For South Africa, they would desperately want to get rid of Kohli and Pant after the lunch break. With Shardul Thakur and R Ashwin capable batters, South Africa will have to bowl an inspired spell to restrict India’s lead to under 200.
