IND vs SA: 3rd Test – Proteas dented early after India dominate Day 2

For the third time in this series, India have piled on a huge first-innings total batting first. Once again, South Africa have been dealt with early blows in theirs. The hosts now look in complete control as the Proteas end Day 2 of the third Test at 9/2. It’s like a repeat of cycles.

Brief Scores: South Africa 9/2 (Shami 1-0, Umesh 1-4) trail India 497 (Rohit 212, Rahane 115, Linde 4-133) by 488 runs.

Check the full scorecard here.

Daddy Rohit does a double

Like a man on a mission to make up for years of lost Test cricket, Rohit Sharma continued to torment the Proteas bowlers for the second straight day. Getting to his maiden double century with yet another six, he became the third Indian to cross the 200-run mark and also completed 500 in this series. At the other end, India’s Dependable No.5 played the perfect partner. In what was one of his most mature innings, Ajinkya Rahane smashed his 11th Test hundred, his 3rd against South Africa and his first since October 2016 at home. Both batsmen looked extremely confident in the middle, negating any sort of threat from the bowlers. At one point, the boundary-hitting was an exercise for fun.

Take a bow, HITMAN ??

An absolutely sensational innings from @ImRo45 as he brings up his double ton here in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/zqLCCfQzqX

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 20, 2019

But the moment Rahane crossed his hundred, he looked fidgety and tried to go for the cheeky shots. And it is how he ended up becoming George Linde’s first Test wicket, and Heinrich Klaasen’s first catch. India were still cruising when Ravindra Jadeja, who was once again promoted ahead of Wriddhiman Saha, came in and struck his second half-century of the series. But it was Umesh Yadav, who, with his 10-ball 31 stole the slow towards the end.

South Africa dented early

With the Test match happening in the eastern part of India, the threat of bad light continued to loom large and had spread to the Proteas camp as well. In the five overs that India managed to bowl, they bounced out both the South African openers. Dean Elgar bagged a 2-ball duck trying to second-guess his shot but ended up gloving one to the keeper. Quinton de Kock, usually batting in the lower middle order, could do little to justify his promotion to the opening slot. Umesh Yadav banged in a short delivery that left de Kock finding room. Unable to do so, he fended it only to get caught by Saha.