Kohli, Rahane in control as India take 403-run lead

Skipper Virat Kohli (39 not out) and Ajinkya Rahane (22 not out) led India’s second innings resurgence after pacer Morne Morkel had struck early blows for South Africa at tea on the third day of the fourth and final cricket Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium here on Saturday. He shared a century stand with Ajinkya Rahane, which was the first century stand in this series.

The duo had raised 133 runs for the fifth wicket when bad light stopped play. Pujara (28), pushed onto the back foot by Morkel and Abbott, stayed there to Imran Tahir, a brisk non-turning legbreak delivered at 94 kmh skidding off the surface and sliding past the outside edge to disturb the furniture.

Morkel orchestrated India’s top order collapse, claiming two wickets in two balls in the morning after India, who have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, had opted against enforcing the follow-on and chose to set the visitors a target instead.

Birthday boy Shikhar Dhawan was batting on 20 at the break with Cheteshwar Pujara on 27, their blooming third wicket association already worth 43 runs. But Delhi boy lived up to expectations of his local fans and after a 44 as his best score in the first innings here, he stepped up in the second essay to register his best score in this series.

That was the last ball of Morkel’s over, and when Rohit – sent in at No 3 ahead of Pujara – marked his guard for the first delivery of the tall South African’s sixth over, he would have been hopeful of atoning for his first-innings shocker.

India began the day in a position of supreme comfort, its healthy first-innings lead ensuring it began the day virtually on 213 for no loss. That aside, there was complete domination by India after the fall of the fourth wicket, as both Rahane and Kohli, batted freely as well as sensibly thereby streatching the Indian lead to over 400.

Vijay (3) was surprised by the extra bounce of a Morkel delivery that appeared to brush his gloves on the way to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas. Morkel and Kyle Abbott responded with tight opening spells, conceding only three runs off the first four overs of the innings.

The Indian skipper, on five then, was lucky to have the decision reversed as TV replays showed Tahir had overstepped. He whipped Dane Piedt through midwicket for a boundary while he faced some difficulty while facing Abbott as he got a couple of streaky boundaries. Morkel’s searing yorker was pinpoint, and Dhawan’s leg stump went walking.

“We batted well in the first innings, they folded cheaply”.

He and Rahane were largely unperturbed even though Morkel bowled his heart out, mixing pace and reverse swing but not getting much support from the other end.

Vijay eventually fell in the fourth over, when Morkel had him caught behind.