Indian pacers destroy wobbly Proteas
India are very much in the game now as they finished the 2nd day of the last and final Test with a 42-run lead at the Wanderers. A total of eleven wickets fell in the first day and ten more tumbled on Thursday showing the bowlers’ dominance on this pitch.
South Africa started day-2 with Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada at the crease. Elgar returned to the pavilion early as Bhuvaneshwar Kumar got his wicket.
Rabada played a much-needed knock of 30 runs and made a 64-run partnership with Hashim Amla. Vernon Philander also played an important part in building a 44-run partnership with Amla.
Meanwhile, Hashim Amla picked up his 37th Test fifty and clubbed 61 runs before getting out by Bumrah. Vernon Philander made 35 runs and got dismissed by Mohammad Shami while no other batsman from the Proteas could go past 10 runs.
South Africa were all out at 194 as Jasprit Bumrah took his maiden five-wicket haul in Test. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar also three scalps while Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami bagged a wicket each.
India posted 49 runs losing one wicket before the umpire called stumps. Parthiv Patel was their only batsman to get out on day-2. Aiden Markram took a flying catch at the third slip from the bowling of Vernon Philander to dismiss the keeper-batsman.
Murali Vijay and KL Rahul will resume the 3rd day and will look forward to improving the partnership to stretch their lead further.
This was the first time that the Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah took a five-for. He has taken a total of 12 wickets in this series until now with the 2nd day’s bowling figure of 5/54 being his best."It was always my dream to play Tests cricket and to get my first five-wicket haul. And to contribute to team's success. This is a totally new experience for me. Such wickets aren't there in India but there is a temptation to get carried away. When so much is happening, you tend to get excited and try to do too much,” said Bumrah following his fifer.
