The Proteas’ follow-on suffered a disappointing start, as opening batsman Quinton de Kock was bowled by seamer Umesh Yadav shortly before the tea break on day three of the third and final Test in Ranchi. First-innings half-centurion Zubayr Hamza and captain Faf du Plessis were dismissed soon thereafter.
Resuming on 9-2 overnight, the tourists’ first-innings slipped to 162 all out in response to India’s hefty 497-9 declared, which was built on the back of opener Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten double-century.
With the visitors 335 runs behind, host captain Virat Kohli immediately enforced the follow-on on Monday. Yadav quickly obliged, castling de Kock’s off-stump – and fellow new-ball bowler Mohammed Shami followed suit by bowling Hamza. Shami then removed captain Faf du Plessis lbw, which was plumb – and unsuccessfully reviewed.
Vice-captain Temba Bavuma will resume alongside opener Dean Elgar after the interval. The Proteas have 22-3 – 313 shy of at least making India bat again.
Earlier, Hamza, Bavuma and debutant George Linde afforded South Africa brief defiance. The right-handed Hamza welcomed a maiden Test half-century en route to a career-best 62, surpassing the 47 collected against Pakistan at the Wanderers in Johannesburg earlier this year. Vice-captain Bavuma, meanwhile, supported him with a complementary 32 – and Linde struck 37 down the order.
Yadav and left-arm spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Ravindra Jadeja were outstanding in combination throughout. Bavuma and Heinrich Klaasen were particularly flummoxed by Jadeja’s exploits.
On day two, Sharma’s 212 heralded India’s third double-century this series. Opener Mayank Agarwal struck one in the first Test in Visakhapatnam and captain Virat Kohli another during the second in Pune.
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The home side boast an unassailable 2-0 series lead after comfortable victories in Visakhapatnam and Pune.
India: Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami.
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock, Zubayr Hamza, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), George Linde, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
Photo: Gallo Images
