South Africa all out for 214 in India Test

AB de Villiers marked his 100th Test with a stroke-filled 85 to bolster the score after Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to field in overcast conditions at the Chinnaswamy stadium.

South Africa’s tail quickly followed after tea, the innings ended when Kyle Abbott was needlessly run out, before India’s openers proved batsmen could prosper on the day-one pitch.

Earlier, South Africa crossed the 200-mark for the first time in the series before being all out for a below-par total with de Villiers exhibiting the kind of decisive footwork that was missing from his team mates. Imran Tahir provided the exclamation mark to South Africa’s day of horror, dropping M Vijay on 21.

Ashwin further disclosed that India did not feel that de Villiers was in a position to take the game away from them single-handedly.

Players, Srinath points out, make conscious effort to keep the spirits up. He glided one from Ashwin towards backward square leg region to complete his 38th Test half century in 59 balls. JP Duminy struggled for 15 in a 42-run partnership before edging Ashwin to slip when playing back: had he pressed forward he would have struggled to get to the pitch anyway because this turned from an in-between length. None of them could show the gumption for a fight as South Africa’s premier batsman fought a lonely battle. Alongside him was Murali Vijay, batting on 28 off 73 balls.

Looking at the current form of both of India’s spin bowlers, South Africa will need a lot more help from the elements.

Jadeja, who is on a comeback trail, bowled 16 overs and conceded 50 runs while picking up four wickets, including the scalp of AB de Villiers.

Close-in fielders Cheteshwar Pujara, at short leg and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip took sharp catches off the spinners as the visiting side kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Jadeja’s first wicket was that of Dean Elgar immediately after lunch as the left-hander went for a sweep, only to glove it on to the stumps after making a fighting 38.