Ashwin Five-for, Pujara Fifty Put India in Control

Ravindra Jadeja took five wickets to be named man of the match while Ravi Ashwin picked up another three to go with his five in the first innings.

Spinners from both sides bagged the limelight on the turning low pitch in Mohali as both sides struggled with the bat.

But South Africa, which had conceded a 17-run first innings lead, failed to come to grips with the conditions and the result had seemed obvious in less than a session.

South Africa, who resumed on 28-2 after dismissing the hosts for 201, appeared set for a first-innings lead through a stubborn third-wicket stand of 76 between Dean Elgar (37) and captain Hashim Amla (43) before Ashwin struck. “Honestly, it’s the batting that makes the wicket look what it is”.

Murali Vijay finished as the top run scorer at 75 with Ashwin (20 not out) and Jadeja’s (38) valuable 42-run eight-wicket partnership also responsible in putting together the 201-run target.

The visiting camp were rattled when skipper Hashim Amla was cleaned up for nought by Jadeja after the batsman left a length ball that carried straight in and hit the middle stump.

Ashwin finally got Elgar, who was the opening day hero with a four-wicket haul, to commit an error after the left-hander tried to slog-sweep against the turn and ended up giving away a catch to backward point.

Meanwhile, de Villiers brought a deserving half-century with a boundary.

South Africa spin bowling coach Claude Henderson conceded his team was in a hard position. “We thought if we are finding it hard on this wicket, it is going to be hard for them as well”, Kohli said, when asked if he had thought 218 was achievable by the Proteas. Their batsmen played really well. I am not saying it is a good wicket or a bad wicket, but it is a very challenging wicket, wherein run-making is not easy.

The South Africans were also handicapped by the loss of Dale Steyn who suffered a groin strain and did not bowl in the second innings.

But Vijay, whose 80-ball stay so far has been laced with six fours, has mixed the right dose of caution and aggression to give a few respect to the hosts ‘innings so far.

But after his departure, Vijay along with Cheteswar Pujara played sensible cricket and added 86 runs for the second wicket before Vijay was dismissed in the ball of Imran Tahir with a brilliant catch taken by substitute Temba Bavuma in the short-leg.