Bumrah keeps India in the hunt with maiden five-wicket haul
Indian bowlers continued their stellar show as Jasprit Bumrah restricted South Africa's lead to a bare minimum with his maiden fivewicket haul, keeping the visitors in the contest after an engaging second day's play in the third and final cricket Test.
In reply to India's 187, South Africa didn't fare any better being all-out for 194 in 65.5 overs with their lead being an insignificant seven runs.
The Indian top-order showed more application as they were 49 for 1 at stumps with an overall lead of 42 runs.
Murali Vijay (13 batting, 49 balls) was in company of KL Rahul (16 batting, 38 balls). The team management wanted to shield Rahul from the new ball bowlers by sending Parthiv Patel (16) to open the innings but the plan didn't work as he quickly removed by Vernon Philander.
Rahul-Vijay left the ball well and showed more patience than the first innings as they batted out 12 overs. They added 32 runs for the second wicket, running judiciously between the wickets and hitting 3 boundaries together.
On a pitch that is offering extensive lateral movement, a target of 175 could prove to be a match-winning for India.
Playing only his third Test match, Bumrah polished the lower-middle order with figures of 5 for 54 in 18.5 overs ably complemented by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/44 in 19 overs).
While Bumrah's maximum victims were at the rear of the Proteas innings, Bhuvneshwar inflicted the early damage including a beautiful indipper that knocked back AB de Villiers' (5) middlestump. Hashim Amla (61, 121 balls) batted with grit and determination and was given good support by nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada (30) during the first session, when they had added 64 runs for the third wicket. This was after Bhuvneshwar had removed Dean Elgar with a beauty, a delivery that pitched on the leg-middle, induced him to go for a drive and got an edge.
However, Amla got good support from Rabada, who frustrated the Indian bowlers for a good 114 minutes during the first session of the day.
Amla also added 44 runs for the seventh wicket with Vernon Philander (35), who unleashed a flurry of strokes as the home team crossed 150-run mark in the 56th over.
Amla then gifted his wicket away, flicking straight to Hardik Pandya at deep square leg off Bumrah in the 60th over much to Indian team's delight.