Rain washes out third day’s play in Bengaluru Test

India now lead the four-match Test series called the Gandhi-Mandela Series 2015-16, as they had won the opening Test at Mohali by a huge margin of 108 runs. Ishant and Binny – opening the bowling – found little bounce or seam movement in what was a comfortable start for the South Africa openers.

India were relatively untroubled during their innings although Vijay did enjoy a life when he was put down by Imran Tahir at square leg off the bowling of Morkel.

Ashwin and Jadeja took eight wickets apiece to consign the Proteas to defeat in Mohali last week and benefited from poor batting at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, with the tourists bowled out for 214. Apart from Jadeja and Ashwin, fast bowler Varun Aarun (1-46) also claimed a wicket. None of them could show the gumption for a fight as South Africa’s premier batsman fought a lonely battle. The 29-year-old Dhawan, in his 17th Test, has forged a good combination with Vijay, who in his 35th Test is the senior pro. He flighted one that straightened after pitching and caught opener Stiaan van Zyl (10) plumb in-front.

The standout shot came in the post lunch session in the form of an off-drive off Ishant Sharma.

Elgar perished in the first over after lunch, JP Duminy (15) could not shine on his return to the squad and Dane Vilas (15) fell to a soft dismissal to compound South Africa’s crisis after lunch. The third umpire confirmed that the low catch was clean, but did not contemplate whether de Villiers had hit the ball.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are the leading wicket-takers in the series with 12 wickets each.

Domingo said his team would look to deal early blows when India resume their first innings here tomorrow.

With more downpours forecast on Tuesday, the chance of a positive result in Proteas talisman AB de Villiers’ 100th test appears to be growing ever more remote.