South Africa’s Day 3 aim: Dismiss ‘headaches’ Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara early

India
lost
both
their
openers
cheaply
once
again
in
the
second
innings
but
Pujara
(9)
and
Kohli
(14)
thereafter
took
charge
of
the
proceedings
and
saw
through
the
second
day
to
take
their
overall
lead
to
70
runs.

“The
key
would
be
to
pick
up
a
few
early
wickets
tomorrow
morning…
The
two
batting
now
have
been
a
bit
of
a
headache
for
us
in
the
last
couple
of
innings,”
Petersen
said
in
the
media
interaction
after
the
end
of
day
two’s
proceedings.

In
the
first
innings,
Kohli
top-scored
with
a
well-crafted
79
off
201
balls,
while
Pujara
gave
a
fine
assistance
with
a
77-ball
43
to
steady
the
proceedings
after
KL
Rahul
and
Mayank
Agarwal
were
dismissed
early.

“He’s
(Kohli)
one
of
the
best
batters
in
the
world
and
he’s
showed
that
time
and
again.
Yes,
he
will
be
the
big
wicket
tomorrow
and
if
we
can
get
his
wicket
early,
it
will
open
up
the
game.”
Petersen,
who
hit
72
off
166
balls,
was
the
top
scorer
for
the
home
side
as
they
were
dismissed
by
India
for
210,
conceding
a
13-run
first
innings
lead.

“We
would
have
been
happy
if
we
overcame
the
deficit
and
got
a
bit
of
a
lead.
That
was
the
plan
coming
into
the
game
today,”
he
said.

Petersen
brought
up
his
second
fifty
of
the
series
on
Wednesday
against
some
top
class
Indian
pace
bowling.

The
28-year-old
led
South
Africa’s
fightback
after
Jasprit
Bumrah
removed
the
openers
early
in
the
series-deciding
third
Test.

“It’s
(the
Indian
pace
attack)
extremely
challenging.
It’s
the
most
challenging
I’ve
had
in
my
whole
career.
You
have
to
be
focused
and
on
your
mark
all
the
time
or
else
they
will
expose
you.

“They
test
you
in
terms
of
scoring,
there’s
not
much
of
scoring
opportunities.
They
have
not
given
us
much.
They
are
arguably
one
of
the
best
bowling
attacks
in
the
world.
We
knew
that
coming
into
the
series,
it’s
been
challenging,
we
just
got
to
deal
with
it,”
Petersen
said.

On
missing
out
on
a
century
for
the
second
time
in
the
series,
he
said:
“To
be
honest,
it’s
not
lack
of
trying.
It’s
just
eluding
us
at
the
moment.
Yes,
I
got
close
but
let
the
team
down
by
not
getting
there.
But
I
think
it
will
come
eventually.”