3rd Test: India off to cautious start in 2nd innings (Roundup)

India posted 49/1 in their second innings at the end of the second day of the third and final cricket Test against South Africa here on Thursday.

Opener Murali Vijay and Lokesh Rahul were at the crease at stumps with the Indians leading by 42 runs.

Rahul was batting on 16 while Vijay was unbeaten on 13.

Parthiv Patel, who had opened the visitors' second innings along with Vijay, was dismissed while attempting to flick South African pacer Vernon Philander to the on-side.

Patel seemed to be in good knick, hitting three boundaries on his way to scoring 16 runs off 15 deliveries.

Philander returned figures of 1/11 for South Africa.

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah claimed his maiden five-wicket haul as South Africa were dismissed for 194 runs in their first innings.

Bumrah returned figures 5/54 while fellow fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar clinched 3/44. Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami also picked up a wicket each.

Experienced batsman Hashim Amla was the highest scorer for the hosts with a fighting 61 off 121 balls.

Philander produced a crucial innings of 35 runs lower down the order to help propel the Proteas past India's first innings total of 187 runs.

Amla and Philander added 44 runs between them as the Proteas battled to tame the Indian pace attack.

India fought back in style in the second session by taking three quick wickets as South Africa went to tea at 143/6. Amla and Philander were together when the umpires called an end to the second session.

Resuming the post-lunch session at 81/3, the Proteas witnessed a mini collapse, losing the wickets of AB de Villiers (5), skipper Faf du Plessis (8) and wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock (8) in quick succession to be reduced to 125/6.

The in-form de Villiers, who escaped a plumb leg before decision on the very first over after lunch from Ishant Sharma, failed to cash in on the opportunity with Bhuvneshwar Kumar castling his middle stick with a big in-swinger.

The dismissal of de Villiers brought in du Plessis, who started well by cracking Jasprit Bumrah for a boundary before the same bowler came back to clip his off-stump as the Proteas tottered at 107/5.

Bumrah jolted the hosts immediately with the wicket of de Kock, smartly caught behind by Parthiv Patel even as Amla survived a few close lbw calls to reach his 37th Test half century.

Amla continued to frustrate the Indian bowlers with his defiance and despite losing his partners at the other end, the right-hander looked in complete control with his footwork and timing.

Earlier, South Africa lost both their overnight batsmen -- Dean Elgar (4) and night-watchman Kagiso Rabada (30) -- in the morning session to head into the lunch interval at 81/3.

Elgar, the left-handed opener consumed 40 balls before nicking behind an unplayable delivery from Bhuvneshwar which was comfortably latched on by Parthiv.

Rabada meanwhile, played his role perfectly, blocking the Indian seamers and occasionally hitting the odd one to the boundary before Ishant ended his defiant 84-ball knock of 30 by inducing an edge for Ajinkya Rahane to latch on at gully.

--IANS

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