Seamer Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets as India seized control of the third and final Test against South Africa on Thursday (January 25), going to the close of the second day with a 42-run lead on a treacherous wicket at the Wanderers.
Bumrah, in this third Test, ripped through the middle-order and cleaned up the South African tail with career-best figures of 5-54 as India bowled their hosts out for 194.
With South Africa having taken a slender lead of seven runs, the tourists reached 49 for one wicket in their second innings.
Murali Vijay (13 not out) and Lokesh Rahul (16 not out) will resume on the third day, looking to build a lead in the knowledge that setting South Africa anything over 150 for victory on a wicket that has pace, bounce and prodigious lateral movement will be challenging.
South Africa lacked their usual intensity in the Indian second innings and may rue not being able to make deeper inroads into the batting line-up before the close.
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India had elevated middle-order batsman Parthiv Patel (16) to the top of the order to give them a right/left hand combination in the opening positions.
He made a fast start, but was out to a fantastic catch from Aiden Markram racing in from slip after an inside edge onto his pad from a Vernon Philander (1-11) delivery.
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The home side started the second day on six for one after dismissing India for 187 and Hashim Amla (61) and nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada (30) put on 64 for the third wicket.
Rabada was out five minutes before lunch and South Africa then lost their way in the middle session as AB de Villiers (5), Faf du Plessis (8) and Quinton de Kock (8) all failed, the latter two out to Bumrah.
The Indian seamer then had Amla caught at mid-wicket, before trapping Andile Phehlukwayo (9) lbw and seeing Lungi Ngidi (0) caught by wicketkeeper Patel as the innings came to a rapid end.
South Africa have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, but are seeking a first ever clean-sweep over India.
