After a disappointing start to the day – losing seven wickets for 49 runs – Indian bowlers helped the side make an emphatic comeback. On a pitch that had something for pacers throughout the day, Shami was the pick of the bowlers taking a fifer and completing his 200 Test wickets. After the initial collapse, the South African tail wagged but India bundled them out for 197 to take a 130-run lead on Day 3 which was extended by 16 runs.
Agarwal falls
After a 117-run opening partnership in the first innings, Mayank Agarwal fell to Marco Jansen after scoring four runs. The half-centurion of first innings edged one to the wicketkeeper. Shardul Thakur walked out as nightwatchman instead of no.3 batter Cheteshwar Pujara. Thakur scored a boundary off the five deliveries he played.
Early collapse
It was Jasprit Bumrah who started the collapse by sending Proteas skipper Dean Elgar back to the dressing room off the second ball he faced. Shami fired from the other end and cleaned up Keegan Petersen and opener Aiden Markram. After Bumrah twisted his right ankle in the follow-through, Mohammed Siraj joined the party and took the wicket of Rassie van der Dussen to reduce the hosts for 32/4. Siraj would have got another on the very next delivery but Quinton de Kock’s catch was dropped by KL Rahul in the slips.
Damage control
Temba Bavuma and De Kock did some damage control with a 72-run partnership for the fifth wicket but Thakur got the breakthrough to send the wicketkeeper-batter back to the pavilion for 34. The southpaw also hit a six in his innings.
Bavuma carried on and got crucial partnerships with Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen before getting out. Bavuma scored 52 runs from 103 deliveries before becoming Shami’s fourth victim. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada frustrated Indian bowlers for a while as they missed the services of Bumrah but Thakur once again got the breakthrough in the 57th over.
Shami's 200th wicket
Rabada was looking to attack and get some crucial runs against the old ball but Shami returned to complete his fifer. He became the third-fastest Indian pacer to get to 200 Test wickets. Bumrah too returned after suffering from an ankle injury to get the wicket of Keshav Maharaj. South Africa played a total of 62.3 overs in the first innings. Even though South Africa are behind after the first innings, the total of 197 is still an improvement after losing their top order in the 13th over.
India's monumental collapse
After an impressive show on Day 1 of the Centurion Test, Indian batting lineup suffered a major collapse losing seven wickets and added just 55 runs to score on Day 3. Lungi Ngidi took a six-wicket haul whereas Rabada took three wickets after a disappointing bowling performance on Day 1.
