BOOM BOOM Bumrah’s late strikes tilt game India’s way

Kohli’s men need 6 wickets to win, and RSA, a less likely 211 runs on a pitch o ering plenty of help.

Mohammed Rumman Khan | NT

Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike late on the day 4 has yet again put India in a dominant position, ending the stubborn stand between Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen, by dismissing the latter and following up with the wicket of night watch Keshav Maharaj. South Africa still need 211 runs to win by six wickets in hand. But with rain expected to play a big part on Thursday, it is unlikely that either India or South Africa will be able to push for a win. The wicket had eased out for batting considerably in the last session but India will wonder if they took too much time in the second innings.

Chasing a never achieved victory target of 305 at the SuperSport Park, South Africa finished the day at 94 for 4 with Elgar unbeaten on 52 after Indian batters caved in on a track with uneven bounce, getting all-out for 174 in just 50.3 overs. It was another failure for the seasoned trio of skipper Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane but the pacers again swung the match in India’s favour.

Just when the game looked like meandering, Bumrah (2/22) went wide off the crease and got the ball to cut back late just when Van der Dussen decided to shoulder arms thinking that it would go straight. And then at the stroke of stumps, a lethal delivery knocked the stuffing out of night watchman Keshav Maharaj (8) to leave the Proteas in complete tatters. Even Mohammed Siraj (1/25) bowled one that was angled in and moved away late taking Keegan Peterson’s (17) outside edge. Aiden Markram was the first to be dismissed as he failed to take his bat away from a Mohammed Shami (1/29) delivery that bounced a tad extra after landing on the perfect upright seam.

The Indian bowlers would be aware that there had been instances when they have failed to get the tail knocked off the final day, latest one being the Kanpur Test and here with rain set to be a factor, they will be running against time.

KL Rahul (23), Rishabh Pant (34) and Ravichandran Ashwin (14) got snorters that grew big on them as Kagiso Rabada (4/42), debutant Marco Jansen (4/55) and Lungi Ngidi (2/31) looked menacing during the one and half sessions that the Indians batted. Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli ended the year 2021 without scoring a century in international cricket as he departed for 18 in the second innings of the first Test against South Africa on Wednesday. In 2020 also, Kohli had failed to reach the triple-figure mark. The Indian skipper had last scored a ton in the day-night Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in 2019.