India’s seamers made inroads into South Africa’s brittle batting line-up as the home side limped to 109 for five at tea on the third day of the first Test on Tuesday, still 218 runs behind the tourists’ total of 327.
Twelve wickets fell in the first two sessions on a wicket that has sprung to life and is providing plenty of assistance to the seamers in movement, pace and steep bounce at Centurion Park.
Temba Bavuma (31 not out) and Wiaan Mulder (4) will try to get South Africa closer to India’s score in the elongated evening session after day two was washed out by rain.
Seamer Jasprit Bumrah picked up the wicket of South African captain Dean Elgar (1) before giving the tourists a scare when he rolled his right ankle in his follow through and left the field after bowling 5.5 overs.
He returned 15 minutes before tea but has yet to test the injury.
Mohammed Shami (2-16) was excellent with his line and length, and bowled both Keegan Petersen (15) and Aiden Markram (13) with excellent deliveries as South Africa were left teetering on 32 for four.
Quinton de Kock (34) and Bavuma put on 72 for the fifth wicket before the former tried to guide a Shardul Thakur delivery through gully, but succeeded only in playing onto his own stumps.
Seamer Lungi Ngidi had earlier taken 6-71 as South Africa made light work of bowling India out on the third morning.
Ngidi, who took a career-best 6-39 on debut against India at Centurion in 2018, helped South Africa claim the last seven Indian wickets for the addition of only 55 runs.
The touring side had resumed on 272 for three, but were skittled within another 15.3 overs after fiery fast bowling from Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada (3-72), as well as poor shot selection from the batsmen.
Opener KL Rahul could only add a single run before he was out for 123, caught by wicketkeeper De Kock as he attempted a pull off Rabada.
The Indian tail-enders tried to hit their way out of trouble, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.
Bumrah (14) was the last man out, providing a first test wicket for 21-year-old debutant seamer Marco Jansen.
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