Kohli, Rahane fifties stretch India’s lead past 400

Brief Scores: India 190/4 (Kohli 83, Rahane 52, Morkel 3/29) and 334 (Rahane 127, Ashwin 56, Abbott 5/40, Piedt 4/117) lead South Africa 121 (AB de Villiers 42, Jadeja 5/30, Ashwin 2/26) by 403 runs

India started the third day in the hope of adding to their first innings lead of 213. However, Morne Morkel was in no mood for giving the Indian batsmen an easy time pelting them with bouncers and good length deliveries. Morkel found his first wicket in the fifth over of the day as a vicious bouncer grazed past Vijay. Vijay tried to convince the umpire showing the arm guard. however, the decision went against the batsman. India one down for 4 in 5 overs, the scoreboard showed.

To everyone’s surprise, Rohit Sharma walked in next. Commentators pointed towards Pujara suffering an injury during fielding at short leg as the reason for Rohit’s arrival. However, Pujara’s injury theory will be thrown into the basket soon after Rohit's four-ball stay at the crease. A terrific delivery from Morkel uprooted Rohit’s off stump to send him back for a duck.

Pujara walked in next to face the hat-trick ball from Morkel. He left a good length delivery outside off to deny the hat-trick for Morkel. A spell of inside edges and close shouts followed as Dhawan and Pujara survived scare after scare. The duo, however, survived the testing period and played some good shots as the spinners came on. They guided India past the fifty-run mark in the last over before lunch to take the lead to 264.

Morkel once again proved to be the thorn in India’s flesh as he sent back Dhawan shortly after lunch. Morkel’s toe- crushing yorker from around the wicket hit the leg stump to remove Dhawan for 21. Pujara followed him soon after with a 94kph ball from Tahir crashing into the stumps.

Tahir again did his trademark celebratory run in the next over with Indian captain Virat Kohli given out for a caught behind. An unhappy Kohli stood his ground as the umpire checked for a no-ball. The Kotla erupted into a minor celebration as the big screen showed Tahir over-stepping on the delivery.

Kohli and first-innings centurion Rahane negotiated the bowling with relative ease to take India’s lead past 300 in the 43rd over of the innings. The duo notched up their fifty run partnership and India’s hundred run mark shortly after that, while surviving close shouts from Morkel along the way. India went into the tea break at 116 for 4 with a lead of 329 runs against the Proteas.

In the first over after tea, Kohli scored two consecutive boundaries of Piedt to set a sign of things to come in the last session of the day. As Amla replaced Piedt with Elgar, Kohli brought up his half-century with a back-foot punch through the covers for a single. The duo milked the spinners as the Indian lead crossed 350. Kohli swept Piedt for a boundary in the 70th over to bring up the hundred run partnership – the first of the series.

As the milestones continued, Rahane brought up the eighth fifty of his career in the 78th over. South Africa took the new ball in the 80th over, and Kohli guided Morkel for a boundary to bring up the 400-run lead. As light once again ended the play early, India finished the third day at 190 for four with an overall lead of 403 against the Proteas.

Kohli and Rahane will now be looking to extend their 133-run artnership on Day four before putting the Proteas in for their second innings.