Proteas wilting in the blazing Indian sun

Ranchi – Pace duo Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav had India on the brink of a series whitewash after South Africa crumbled while following-on in the third Test and saw batsman Dean Elgar suffer a wincing blow to the helmet.

At the end of the third day the tourists were on 132/8, trailing India by 203 runs, with replacement batsman Theunis de Bruyn on 30 and Anrich Nortje on five.

De Bruyn came in under the new concussion sub rule after opener Elgar took a nasty hit on the helmet from a short delivery by Yadav, and retired hurt on 16.

The impact left the opener shaken as he lay on the ground getting physio assistance.

South African team spokeswoman Sipokazi Sokanyile said Elgar was taken off as a “precaution”.

Events did not improve for South Africa, however, with Shami claiming three wickets, including South African skipper Faf du Plessis for four, while Yadav struck twice.

Zubayr Hamza, top scorer in South Africa’s first innings, indicated that his team-mates had concentrated too much on India’s spin threat and been taken by surprise by the fast bowlers.

“I would say, based on the general thought of playing in India, you’d assume it would be tougher to play against the spinners,” said Hamza, who made 62 in his team’s first innings.

“I wouldn’t say we under-prepared against the seamers. I will just say that maybe we should have prepared more mentally in terms of playing them in whatever conditions that we were faced.”

South Africa’s first innings ended on 162 earlier as they chased India’s 497/9 declared.

The hosts made them bat again, and Yadav drew first blood, getting left-hander Quinton de Kock – who was promoted to open the innings – for five.

Shami took over to get firstinnings hero Hamza for nought with a delivery that rattled his offstump. The pace spearhead then got du Plessis’ prized scalp and Temba Bavuma caught behind for a duck.

Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin also took a wicket each to force an extension of the final session but De Bruyn and Nortje survived.

Hamza, playing just his second Test, was happy to score his maiden Test half-century to offer some resistance during his 91-run fourth-wicket stand with Bavuma, who made 32.

“But also disappointed in the same breath, not having gone on to make use of that opportunity,” he said. –