India take 213 runs lead in first innings against SA

Jadeja bagged a five-wicket-haul which became his second in the series.

“Our bowlers bowled very well, there is nothing odd in the wicket”.

That brought the first-innings centurion Rahane to the crease, and he posted the first century partnership of the series with his skipper before bad light forced a premature end to play.

A responsible innings of 89 (batting) by Rahane and his 59-run seventh wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja helped India overcome the blues.

Kohli (44) and opener Shikhar Dhawan (33) also batted well before being dismissed by Piedt.

Amla, on 3, was caught behind as he tried to cut a delivery from close to his body, while Faf du Plessis, yet to score, went for a paddle-scoop but Rahane ran around from slip to catch the ball down the leg side.

Alongside Ravindra Jadeja (24) and Ravichandran Ashwin (6 not out), he helped move India from 139-6 to 231-7, but South Africa will look to clean up the tail as soon as possible as they seek a consolation victory in the series, which they trail 2-0 in and have already lost.

Resuming the day’s play at 231/7, India were off to a confident start. He enjoyed a slice of luck on 78 when Hashim Amla spilled a sitter at slips off Dane Piedt.

Dhawan who has been struggling for form faced 18 deliveries before getting off the mark. The left-hander hit four boundaries, including an elegant drive through the covers off Morkel.

And he took advantage of a reprieve on five when he was given out caught behind off Imran Tahir but a referral for a no-ball showed that the South African leg-spinner had overstepped. But the Saurashtra batsman was outfoxed by a faster delivery by Tahir that pitched on a fuller length before hitting the off-stump.

Kohli and Rahane then came together to try and steady the boat.

“As a batsman, I felt that (I should be) spending time in the middle, taking my time and playing just normal cricket, rather than look to play some attacking shots”.

It was Piedt who again struck a crucial blow for the visitors when he sent Kohli back to the pavilion.

The duo had raised 70 runs in 17 overs when Kohli fell to Piedt, sweeping the spinner straight into the body of Temba Bavuma at short leg.

Opener Murali Vijay was out to a rising ball from Morkel that appeared to have grazed his armguard before flying through to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, who leapt high in the air to take a one-handed catch over his head.

The spinner took eight wickets against Zimbabwe in his test debut to claim the man-of-the-match award but found his career at a crossroads after hurting his shoulder during the Champions Trophy previous year.