South Africa v India tests - Jan 2018

[meninblue]

Chaukka. Katori

keep them coming , whichever way they come.

[Dr Cricket]

Arthur looks like you called it right about india batting depth still to come though.
the runs india lower order got might be crucial in the end especially if the batting gets better later on.

[Dr Cricket]

I thought you were saying Ashwin shouldnn't have been selected?

nah wanted him selected but if he was batting at 6 and pandya 7 then what was the point of picking Ashwin in this game, would have been better off picking Rahane on this deck and playing the extra batsman.
it was more of the way they used Ashwin than his selection.

[Dr Cricket]

india all out for 209.
well played.
good day so far for india.
tricky session for SA now, like india had yesterday.

[meninblue]

209. all out. Rabada deserved the wicket. Bowled with lot of effort.

[mikesiva]

Philander 3-33
Rabada 3-34
Steyn 2-51
Morkel 2-57

India 209 all out.

A good all round performance by the best pace attack in the world today.

[Dr Cricket]

best bit of the pandya and bhuvi partnership is that SA still need to bat really well to win the game now.
with a 150+ lead, SA only really need 100 odd to actually boss the game.
at least now SA need at least 200 to be confident of defending the total and around 300 or 350 + to be totally safe.

that partnership brought india into the game with a 150 deficit india really had no chance to get back in the game, now they know get SA out and they could win the game.

Very good test match fitting the number 1 vs number 2 contest.
reckon 2012 was the last time we had a good number 1 vs number 2 contest in test, if anything that is the reason test is in decline at the moment not too many good contest in test matches at the moment.

[mikesiva]

tricky session for SA now, like india had yesterday.

Very tricky. Three down at stumps?

[meninblue]

286. I think we might concede a lead to them given this will be our first batting innings of series. Saffers are full strength in bowling department (Steyn, Rabada, Morkel).

Will be a pleasant surprise though if we manage to get a lead though.

Okay things going as expected in first innings of the series, without warmup and the way we batted last month against Lanka getting all out for 112 batting in bowler friendly conditions and starting just a week after our players were in T20 mindset.

The lead is conceded to SA. 77 runs. It's bad given its tough for both teams to score runs thus far, however at one point of time it seemed to me that the lead conceded could be as high as 140. Chet, Rohit, Hardik and Bhuvi have played well. All of them showed the approach required.

77 runs is a very good lead and match winning imo. Steyn has a bruised knee as confirmed by commies. So it slightly reduces the lead impact, but Saffers still have 4 specialist bowlers even if Steyn is half fit.

[Dr Cricket]

tricky session for SA now, like india had yesterday.

Very tricky. Three down at stumps?

SA would take 30/0.
should be good viewing though.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH not sure 77 lead is actually match winning at the moment, think SA still need to score 200.
still enough help on the deck to have SA struggling with the new ball still.
wouldn't want to be in SA shoes if india takes couple of early wickets.
will give SA 20% advantage with that lead.
77 lead is only really one good partnership difference, that could easily be made up in the rest of the game which is why I wouldn't class it match winning yet adi.

[Dr Cricket]

plus don't forget the mental aspect of the lead as well.
SA would be under pressure now as well since they expected 140-170 lead and pretty much guaranteed the win and now they batting with a smallish lead that could go either way in the 3rd inning now.

[meninblue]

Good seam position in the first over of this innings. Nice wrist position as well. And he has improved his pace slightly in recent past. Good opening over that by Bhuvi.

[Dr Cricket]

Elgar gets away with one, nearly gets out for a pair.
like I said this is still game on, like Shanky said on twitter, SA still need 250 runs here to be sure of a win.
250 runs is still a lot of runs to score still.

[meninblue]

Jasprit starts well. Produced a running catch chance, which Shami could only manage finger tips running towards it. Inside edge while leaving the ball. Nice pace. Outstanding over.