IND v SA: Kohli-Pujara See India Through After Bumrah's Fifer Bowls South Africa Out

Updated: Thu, Jan 13 2022 11:12 IST
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IND v SA: Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara defended their way to end the day on a high after Jasprit Bumrah's fifer bowled South Africa out for 210. 

Resuming the day at 17/1, Bumrah struck on the second ball of the day as Aiden Markram was left thinking of his choices with arms raised up and stumps shattered. 

Overnight batter Keshav Maharaj had to survive a terrific opening spell by Bumrah and Mohammad Shami along with new batter Keegan Petersen. Both Bumrah and Shami kept inducing a false shot but couldn't find the edge. 

Umesh Yadav, in his second over of the spell, finally got rid of Maharaj with a Jaffa that sent the stumps cartwheeling. 

Petersen was joined by Rassie van der Dussen at the crease. Petersen was playing a weird knock where he kept playing a false shot every four delivery but survived; in total, he played 23 false shots in 86 balls in the first session. Every bowler he faced, Petersen kept playing and missing but also struck seven boundaries of the balls that were too full. 

Umesh Yadav struck early in the post-lunch session to remove Van der Dussen, who scored 21. 

However, with the conditions becoming slightly easier for the batters, Temba Bavuma and Petersen kept scoring runs whenever possible. Although, they got a few jaffas, played and missed a few, but kept hanging in there to add 42 runs in 97 balls. 

Shami provided the much-needed breakthrough for India in the form of Bavuma, who got out after scoring 28. Two balls later, Shami induced the edge off Kyle Verreynne to give India the sixth wicket. 

With 30 minutes left to Tea, Petersen got good support from Marco Jansen. However, at the stroke of Tea, Bumrah broke through Jansen's stumps as South Africa lost their seventh wicket. 

It took India another 12 overs to bowl South Africa out after Tea as the tail wagged for the hosts to stretch the total past 200 and give visitors only a 13-run lead. Jasprit Bumrah ended up getting his seventh five-wicket haul - his second in South Africa in tests. 

In reply, India lost both their openers - Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul - inside six overs, bringing in Pujara and Kohli early in the innings to face the new ball. 

Pujara and Kohli had to survive nearly 45 minutes before the end of the day's play and it wasn't easy. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen kept challenging the edge of the Indian batters, keeping the close-in fielders interested throughout. 

Pujara and Kohli showed experience and didn't try to go hard at the ball to end day 2 with the lead of 70 runs on the board. 

Brief Scorecard: 

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22 - England vs Australia Schedule and Squads

India - 223/10 & 57/2 
South Africa - 210/10 

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