Virat Kohli’s blasts 153 but South Africa take slender first innings lead

India were dismissed for 307 in the first innings of the second Test at Centurion after captain Virat Kohli almost single-handedly led the visitors’ fightback with a fetching 153 off 217 deliveries on the third day. Kohli was the last batsman to be out after he holed out to IPL teammate AB de Villiers at long-on. (South Africa vs India 2nd Test Day 3 Updates)

Coming out on the overnight score of 183/5, India scored at a good rate even though kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bulk of the runs came during the 71-run seventh wicket partnership between Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin who scored a classy 38. This was after Hardik Pandya shockingly threw away his wicket in a run-out that could have been avoided if he hadn’t been overconfident. (South Africa vs India 2nd Test Day 3 Scores)

It was callousness on the part of Pandya to assume Vernon Philander -- not one of the better fielders in the South Africa side – won’t aim for the stumps after Kohli turned down a non-existent single. Ambling back carelessly towards his crease, Pandya didn’t probably even realise he could be in danger. Replays however showed Pandya’s foot and bat were within the crease but had not touched ground when Philander’s throw broke his stumps. Pandya’s negligence of the most basic do’s and don’ts at this juncture of the game was shocking and he would be well-advised if he starts giving Test cricket the respect it deserves.

The only good thing to may have come out of this was Ashwin’s arrival. Having just completed his 21st Test century, Kohli was seeking a partnership that would have put some pressure on South Africa. Ashwin looked up to the task. And his duel with Kagiso Rabada provided an interesting sub plot to what has been a fascinating Test so far.

(Read | Virat Kohli hits 21st ton to keep India in hunt in Centurion Test against South Africa)

Rabada welcomed Ashwin with three nasty bouncers, the last of which was still rising when it hit his left thumb, leaving the off-spinner grimacing. Next ball, Rabada induced an edge that flew over gully. Ashwin slashed Ngidi behind point in the next over but he really turned on the heat with three consecutive boundaries off Rabada the next over. Though expensive, Rabada was the only pacer to have tested Ashwin.

Ashwin played his part, raising the fifty-run stand off just 62 balls, after Rabada thought he had got him with a bouncer that got an edge and flew to AB de Villiers at gully. Replays however showed the ball to bounce inches before de Villiers scooped it up. Since the new ball was taken after the 81st over, Ashwin’s next edge carried comfortably to du Plessis at second slip.

(Read | Did Virat Kohli-Hardik Pandya do a Tendulkar-Dravid in countering reverse swing in Centurion?)

At the other end, Kohli had started from where he had left on Sunday. Two consecutive boundaries off Lungi Ngidi, an edge past gully followed by a crunching front-foot drive through covers got him in the 90s. He raised his hundred after tapping the ball towards midwicket for two runs, though the second was an afterthought due to an overthrow.

That he was completely in control of his batting was evident in how he walked into Philander to drive him for a sublime boundary. He duly chalked up his highest score in South Africa but expectedly didn’t get enough support at the other end. Only Ishant Sharma hung around for 20 deliveries, allowing Kohli to cross 150 and get India past the 300-run mark before the India captain fell on 153.