IND vs SA 2nd Test 2021–22 Highlights of Day 3: South Africa 118/2 in Chase of 240 at Stumps

Stumps, Day 3 | That's the end of day's play. South Africa are in a comfortable position with 118 on board. They need 122 more runs to win with eight wickets in hand. Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen are the two unbeaten batsmen batting on 46 and 11 respectively. Do join us back tomorrow for day four's action.

OUT! Finally a wicket comes India's way and it is Ravi Ashwin who strikes! Keegan Petersen is trapped in front of the wickets, he decides against reviewing it and walks back! K Petersen lbw b Ashwin 28(44)

South Africa marching along nicely at the moment and need 158 more runs to win with eight wickets in hand. India looking desperate for another wicket here. Meanwhile, captain Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen have added 35 runs from the second wicket thus far.

OUT! Shardul Thakur, the man with the golden arm, strikes. He traps Aiden Markram in front of the wickets. The batsman didn't opt for review as well. A Markram lbw b Thakur 31(38)

Good start this for South Africa. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram are off to a watchful start. India must be itching for a wicket here. The visitors need to be patient here.

So, the target for South Africa is 240. It is that kind of a total where a result is guaranteed. Honestly both the teams will feel they have a chance but given the nature of the wicket, India holds a slight edge. Will be interesting to see how South Africa responds.

OUT! That's the end of India's innings. Mohammed Siraj is the last wicket to fell. Lungi Ngidi picks the wicket, his third. Hanuma Vihari remains unbeaten on 40.  Siraj b Ngidi 0(2)

OUT! Lungi Ngidi picks his second wicket as India lose their ninth wicket. Marco Jansen takes the catch at point as Jasprit Bumrah departs. Bumrah c Marco Jansen b Ngidi 7(14)

OUT! Another wicket for Marco Jansen, he now has three. Mohammed Shami is caught behind as India are eight down now. Six-ball duck for Shami. M Shami c Verreynne b Marco Jansen 0(6)

OUT! Shardul Thakur's cameo comes to an end. And important quick-fire 28 off 24 balls from the right-hander. But he helped India reach near the lead of 200. Thakur is caught at deep square leg. S Thakur c Maharaj b Marco Jansen 28(24)

Shardul Thakur has come out all guns blazing after the lunch break and picked three quick boundaries of Marco Jansen. India's lead is now worth 175. South Africa will be hoping to wrap up things quickly from here.

Lunch Break, Day 3 | That's the end of the first session. South Africa will be happy having scalped four wickets. At one stage, it looked like India will dominate the session. Four wickets and 103 runs came in this session. Do join us back after the break.

OUT! South Africa chipping away with wickets here! Lungi Ngidi strikes now after Kagiso Rabada's three strikes. Ravi Ashwin is caught behind while looking to play it down the leg. Ashwin c Verreynne b Ngidi 16(14)

OUT! Rabada is turning on the heat now and he has now dismissed Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper-batsman tries to take on Rabada by going down the wicket and all he ends up doing is edging one to Verreynne behind the stumps. What has he done here! India lose three in quick time! Pant c Verreynne b Rabada 0(3)

OUT! Rabada has turned it around and this time, he gets Cheteshwar Pujara. India have lost both set batsmen in quick time and Rabada is the man to bring South Africa back into this game. The ball caught Pujara plumb in front and despite him reviewing, he has to depart. Pujara lbw b Rabada 53(86)

OUT! Finally South Africa have something to cheer about as they have broken this partnership, dismissing Ajinkya Rahane. Kagiso Rabada is the man to provide the breakthrough as South Africa have something to be happy about on Day 3. The ball was a short one outside off-stump and it caught a faint edge off Rahane's bat en route to the keeper. Rahane c Verreynne b Rabada 58(78)

FIFTY! After Pujara, it is Rahane who gets into the act, scoring his 25th Test fifty. India have been in control of this game on Day 3 due to these two senior players. Seems like Rahane and Pujara have made a statement for now and their places would not be put to question for some time to come. They have now put together more than 100 runs and India are looking really good.

FIFTY! What an innings it has been. It has perhaps rescued his Test career for now as Cheteshwar Pujara played aggressively and scored a stylish half-century, his 32nd in Test cricket. He has found a good partner in Rahane at the other end as well as he too has scored pretty fluently. South Africa would rue the missed opportunity to dismiss Rahane after he offered a catch. At the moment, it is all India now. South Africa have been pretty ordinary to say the least, on Day 3 so far. 

India continue their good start on Day 3 with the veteran duo of Rahane and Pujara making sure they make the most of this opportunity after repeated failures. South African bowlers have so far failed to pose any sort of trouble to India, who now have a lead of more than 100 runs. 

India are rollicking here on Day 3! Pujara started off with a couple of boundaries and now Rahane has got into the act. The visitors are now scoring at more than 4 runs per over and South African seamers have failed to hit the right lengths so far. India are cruising along their way to get to a good total and South Africa need to get either of these two to stem the flow of runs.