India declared their first innings at 643/6, setting a host of records along the way.
South Africa have to overcome a 347 run innings deficit and bat for 2 days to save this game.
Resuming on 342/5, India scored 301 runs for the loss of one wicket, that being a nightwatchman!
VVS Laxman finished unbeaten on 143, and MS Dhoni 132, as the two created the 3rd highest seventh wicket partnership of all time in scoring 259 together. It was incidentally the highest 7th wicket partnership for India.
There were also 4 centuries to India’s batsmen (for only the second time), and it was India’s highest ever total against South Africa. Mind you they were helped by a lacklustre bowling display.
As I’ve mentioned previously, if Dale Steyn doesn’t fire, South Africa struggle. What’s worth is they look clueless. South Africa exhibited a negative bowling display, highlighted by Paul Harris’ leg side line. You have to have plans, and aim to execute them better.
It doesn’t help when chances are put down. South Africa missed 4 chances before lunch! Both Dhoni and Sehwag could have been removed quite cheaply, instead they made South Africa pay!
Batting consultant Kepler Wessels rued the missed opportunities and felt they were costly.
“We’ve had our opportunities, on the first day with the bat and on the last two days with the ball, and if you don’t take those opportunities against a good side, you pay the price and that’s exactly what’s happened here. It wasn’t a good day for us, it was definitely disappointing. We were hopeful of bowling well in the morning and we would have been happy to concede a lead of a hundred. But they played well and we couldn’t get the breakthrough. But you can’t drop good players, that’s always going to be important,” said Wessels.
South Africa ended day 3 on 6/0, after facing just 5 deliveries, and now have to bat almost 2 days to save this game.
“The guys have faced similar challenges in the last two years and have come through okay. It will be difficult, but it’s what experienced, tough international batsmen learn to cope with. We will be doing everything in our power to save the game, but there are two tough days ahead. “You can’t just play the survival game, you have to score runs. You have to play your normal game, play your strokes and get partnerships going. And try to spend as long as possible at the crease” Wessels conceded.
South Africa seem to struggle with the weight of expectation, and have been labelled chokers in the past. This is turning into a repeat of the last series in 2007/08. Have no lessons been learnt?
“Consistency is still an issue and that’s what we have to work on” acknowledged Wessels.
However Wessesls also offered a few excuses for letting a good position in the first innings slip away.
“In the first Test match, we concentrated really well. We were very tight. We didn’t play loosely at any stage. In the first innings here, we were very loose. I think that was the problem. In Hashim’s case, you can understand it because he batted for such a long time and so well in Nagpur. He was always going to go through phases where it was tough to concentrate for as long again. For Alviro (Petersen) in his first Test, reaching a milestone was quite an emotional thing. I think the guys all accept that there were a few too many loose shots and that got us into trouble” said Wessels.
Day 4 will be critical to the outcome of this match and the series. It’s still a good track for batting on, but pressure can change that! If South Africa want to prove how good they think they are, every batsmen has to stand up and make a big contribution. This is where heroes are made, and who wants to be a hero?
