India vs SA, 3rd Test Day 2: Shami impresses with fiery spell, Petersen slams fifty; hosts 7 down at tea

If Shami looked threatening all through the session by maintaining superb line and length, Jasprit Bumrah too bowled the tight length and prevented the Protea batters from scoring freely. The right-arm speedster struck at the stroke of tea break when he clean bowled South Africa’s left-arm batter, Marco Jansen, for 7.

With Jansen’s dismissal, South Africa’s scorecard read 176 for 7 and they still trail Indians by 47 runs. The Proteas will pin their hopes with in-form Keegan Petersen who is present in the middle on an unbeaten 70.

Umesh Yadav provided India with their first breakthrough in the afternoon session when he got Rassie van der Dussen caught behind at slip for 21. Dussen’s catch was pouched by captain Virat Kohli as the hosts lost their fifth wicket and the gritty partnership was broken.

Bavuma – who has been in sublime form in the series – then forged another fifty-plus stand with Petersen and took the hosts past the 150-run mark. Bavuma was looking in good touch as he played some of his trademark cover drives against every bowler and was also rotating the strike well in good batting conditions. But his innings came to an end after Kohli decided to give Shami another spell and it paid off immediately.

Shami first got Bavuma caught at second slip by Kohli and two balls later he got new-man-in Verrynne caught behind by Pant. Petersen remained unbeaten on 70 – which is his career-best total.

Earlier in the day, Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen held the fort for South Africa in good batting conditions as the hosts reached 100 for three at lunch break.