The Indian team was able to score 266 runs in its second innings in the second Test match of the series against South Africa (IND vs SA 2nd Test). Due to this, the hosts got a target of 240 runs to win. On the third day on Wednesday, India lost 4 wickets in 29 runs with the century partnership of experienced Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane once in a strong position. After this Hanuma Vihari definitely struggled but no other batsman could survive. Vihari, who came out to bat at number 5, returned unbeaten on 40 off 84 balls. He also hit 6 fours in his innings.
India's score was at one time 155 for 2 wickets and it looked in good condition, but after this, pacer Kagiso Rabada got his team back with a fine spell. Rabada took 3 wickets for 77 runs in 20 overs. Apart from them, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jensen also took 3-3 wickets in their names. Rabada got Ajinkya Rahane caught by wicketkeeper Kyle Wren. Then out lbw to Cheteshwar Pujara. After this, he did not even allow Rishabh Pant to open the account, who caught the wicketkeeper by adopting an irresponsible attitude of playing the short pitch ball on the half-volley. Ravichandran Ashwin scored 16 runs off 14 balls before being caught behind the wicket by Ngidi.
Rahane and Pujara did well for India and shared a 111-run partnership for the third wicket. Pujara scored 53 runs in 86 balls with the help of 10 fours. At the same time, Rahane contributed 58 runs in 78 balls hitting 8 fours and 1 six. Rabada got his team back in the last 45 minutes of the first session on the third day. Duane Olivier (1 for 43) and Lungi Ngidi (1 for 34) also bowled well.
However, the difficulty for the South African team is not less as it will not be easy to achieve the target of more than 200 runs on this pitch. India had scored 202 runs in their first innings, in response to which South Africa scored 229 runs and took a 27-run lead. Pujara and Rahane, who were under the target of critics due to poor form, scored half-centuries. Both shared a partnership of 111 runs in 23.2 overs.
Both these batsmen knew that it would be difficult for them to make a place in the team further and hence they focused more on scoring runs. He drove the balls on the half-volley to the boundary line. Meanwhile, Rahane also hit a six over the point off Marco Jensen. Pujara's 62 balls while Rahane completed his half-century off 67 balls, which shows that he kept scoring runs a priority.
