SA Vs IND, 2018: Five Talking Points – Wanderers 3rd Test, Day Four

In the evening session of the penultimate day of the third and final Sunfoil Test on Saturday (January 27) at Wanderers, Indian bowlers had made a spectacular comeback by picking wickets at regular intervals which further saw Mohammed Shami claimed four wickets in his return spell with the ball and ruled the roost.

At one stage the Proteas were 131 in 55.5 overs, before losing other seven wickets in just 30 runs.

Shami bagged five wickets in his 11 overs after conceding 23 runs. On the other side, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma bagged two wickets each.

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SA vs IND, 2018: Five Talking Points – Navigation Wanderers Test

• Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar show:
• Wanderer’s surface sprung a surprise:
• Hardik Pandya’s decent catch:
• India returns with the wicket of AB de Villiers:
• Dinesh Karthik donned gloves as the substitute:

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Talking Points of the day four at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium

Opening batsman Dean Elgar started off the proceeding of day four of the delayed start due to the wet outfield alongside top-order batter Hashim Amla.

Starting off from the overnight score of 17 for one in 8.3 overs, Amla alongside Elgar knitted crucial partnership to frustrate the visitors bowling line-up on a surface which has been difficult for the batting owing to the awkward bounce.

Consolidating the innings, both batsmen went on to struck fifties each to somewhat take off the pressure from middle-order batsmen.

Interestingly, the batsmen have put on the extra padding on a surface which has been testing the batsmen, particularly on the good length.

The right-handed batsman Amla was caught by Hardik Pandya brilliantly at the short mid-wicket region after scoring 52 off 140 balls. He smashed five boundaries in his hard-fought knock.

For the second-wicket Amla alongside Elgar has forged the partnership of 119 runs.

Wanderer’s surface sprung a surprise:

It’s pertinent to mention the pitch controversy during the final session of day three had further grabbed the headlines before players walked off; however, the morning session unfolded the Proteas batters scored runs and kept the wickets.

However, the cricket pundits had a mixed reaction over the Wanderers surface while many believe the lateral movement on the surface has a lot on offer.

To be precise, the Proteas were somewhat in good stead after Elgar had shown great temperament while struggling. He also copped the body blows, before everything started off dwindling from the hosts.

Hardik Pandya’s decent catch:

The lanky fast bowler Hardik Pandya saw the crowd going silent when he completed a good low catch.

The incident happened in 53^rd over when Ishant was bowling which further saw Amla went for the flick shot as Pandya was quick to his right to complete the low catch at the short mid-wicket region.

Moreover, Amla raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd before the batter witnessed a standing ovation for his brilliant innings.

Earlier Indian bowlers looked off-colour with the ball early on, but made the return with two wickets before the tea break, as the flurry of wickets has brought India right into the game.

India returns with the wicket of AB de Villiers:

At the stroke of tea on the day four, Jasprit Bumrah brought smiles back on the faces of Indian players after toiling hard in the first session in particular with the red-ball.

Bring somewhat respite; Bumrah got rid of dangerman AB de Villiers when the right-handed batting star was ready for the counter-attack.

The back of the length delivery from Bumrah, saw the ball got extra bounce which subsequently got the shoulder of the bat – to flew in the gully region where Ajinkya Rahane completes a simple catch.

In the 56th over, India saw the Proteas losing its third wicket.

Dinesh Karthik donned gloves as the substitute:

As India made way to the field, the wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik was donning the gloves for Team India.

Interestingly, after the substitute has been approved by the world cricket body International Cricket Council, Virat Kohli made well use of the substitution.

However, the regular wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has injured his finger was forced the visiting skipper to go for the alternative.

Pertinently, Karthik was earlier sold to INR Kolkata Knight Riders in INR 8 crore.

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