Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander toiled hard under the blazing sun in Pune and showed resolute in their fight on day three of the 2nd Test, writes Naeemah Benjamin.
The Proteas can take heed of the way Maharaj and Philander went about their business.
This is what Test cricket is about, isn’t it? A proper contest between bat and ball.
It doesn’t have to be pretty or pleasing on the eye of those watching intentively. Get stuck in, adapt to the conditions, absorb pressure and try to survive, somehow. That’s exactly what Maharaj and Philander did when they strung together a record 9th-wicket stand of 109 runs.
They showed great application at the crease, not doing anything risky. Playing defensively but also taking the odd single every now and again to keep cutting down the deficit.
SA resumed the day being 3 down already, it was always going to be tough in India but this pitch is not a minefield, not at all. The hosts have kept things reasonably tight and grabbed their chances. The top order failed to apply themselves and got out to rash shots.
Nightwatchman, Anrich Nortje and Theunis de Bruyn further added to the misery to leave SA reeling on 53/5 early.
Faf du Plessis hid away at 5 and came in at 6 due to the nightwatchman. He notched up his 21st Test fifty and second on this tour.
Why he doesn’t come in at 3 and settle things is mind-boggling for most people at this point.
Du Plessis and De Kock sparked a bit of a “fightback” for the visitors and with a 75-run partnership. The former once again made sure the Indian spinners did not settle forcing Kohli to bring back his seamers.
At the lunch interval, SA were 6 down but managed 103 runs in that session.
READ: Session Moments: Shami, Yadav and Ashwin dominate Proteas batsmen.
After being unbeaten in the first Test, Muthusamy finally lost his wicket as Jadeja bowled him for 7 before Du Plessis fell for 64 giving Ashwin for his second scalp.
READ: SESSION MOMENTS: ANOTHER POOR BATTING DISPLAY BY THE PROTEAS
Maharaj who went off during India’s first innings due to a sore shoulder made up for his poor bowling performance with his batting efforts. He scored his maiden Test fifty.
He definitely had his eye on a maiden ton but Ashwin finally got his man for a superb 72 off 132 balls. A courageous display of determination doesn’t even begin to describe this knock.
Rabada was the last wicket to fall late on the day handing Ashwin his fourth wicket. Vernon Philander stranded was left stranded on the other end on 44 from 192 deliveries. SA were bowled out for 275, trailing by 326.
Will India enforce the follow-on or will they bat and continue to pile on the runs and give themselves enough time to bowl SA out again?
How many runs will be enough for the hosts? Let us know in the comments.
Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
