SA bowl out India for 200, set 218 to win

Mohali – Neither India nor South Africa could cope with the Day 3 batting conditions but the advantage India had built up over the first two days was sufficient to give them victory by 108 runs in the first Test match at Mohali on Saturday. The visitors were chasing 218 for win but folded at 109 with Jadeja picking five, Ashwin three and Mishra and Varun Aron one wickets each.

Seven batsmen failed to reach double digits, leaving the top-ranked Proteas much to ponder ahead of the second Test in the four-match series starting in Bangalore on November 14.

The dismissal brought Kohli to the crease but debutant fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, 20, made it a birthday to forget for the batsman when he had him caught at short cover off a leading edge for his first wicket in tests.

“Ours is a young team and we are trying to build a strong team together. A lot of credit to the boys for bouncing back after the loss in the limited-over series”.

Kohli said it was wrong to criticise the pitch which produced a three-day Test.

“200 was a chaseable total but I think 150 would have been more realistic”, said Amla.

Inducing a wild slog-sweep from Elgar off the fourth ball off the 18th over of the day – for Ravindra Jadeja to complete the catch at backward point – not only did Ashwin break a risky 76-run partnership for the third wicket, but also provided renewed belief to the Indian players.

South Africa’s premier batsmen could not apply themselves.

“Seeing the way things have gone in the past month and half, the way we played here, a lot of credit has to go to the team”, said the skipper, who was playing his first Test as captain on the home soil.

They were cautious but made steady progress on a slow and low wicket. “Stiaan particularly showed particularly that you can get runs if you can hang in there”. “I can t see him bowling tomorrow”. Imran Tahir (4-48) and Simon Harmer (4-61) spun a web around the Indian batsmen to grab four-wicket hauls.

South Africa lose three wickets in the morning session of day two, but they sit just 74 runs behind India. South Africa was 45-5 in the 17th over at the fall of Elgar’s wicket with the result looking quite evident.

India shipped a wicket before a run was on the board, Vernon Philander dismissing Shikhar Dhawan for a duck after the left-hander clipped to slip.

Faf du Plessis edged a delivery from Ashwin to slip, captain Hashim Amla was bowled not offering a shot to a straight delivery from Jadeja and AB de Villiers was castled with an Amit Mishra delivery that kept low.