Dean Elgar, as tenacious as they arrive, held agency. It was a captain making a press release.
The southpaw, his staff chasing a difficult 305, saved the combat going with a decided defence and typical left-handed punches.
Rassie van der Dussen utilized himself however erred in shouldering arms to a Jasprit Bumrah supply that jagged again to disturb stumps.
And within the final over of the day, an impressed Bumrah yorked nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj.
The Proteas have been 94 for 4 with Elgar on a preventing unbeaten 52 at stumps on day 4 of the primary Freedom Take a look at on the SuperSport Park on Wednesday.
With showers forecast on the ultimate day, India, inching nearer to a win, must strike arduous within the first hour on Thursday.
The goal India set was a demanding one on a floor with tempo, elevate and seam motion.
Mohammed Shami, bowling with a beautiful rhythm, gave a torrid time to Aiden Markram across the off-stump, earlier than the batsman inside-edged to the stumps, uncertain whether or not to play or depart.
Keegan Petersen stood on his toes and punched Shami to the purpose fence, however then, Mohammed Siraj took him out.
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Elgar was firm although. His excessive back-lift coming down on the ball, he cover-drove Shardul Thakur with precision and timing. When Shami erred in line, Elgar put him away to the mid-wicket fence.
On him hinge the South African hopes.
Within the morning and afternoon, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jensen impressed as India was dismissed for 174 in its second innings.
There was tempo, elevate and motion across the off-stump as Rabada scalped 4.
Jansen’s tall, excessive arm motion attracts pure bounce from a left-armer’s angle. If he develops the ball that shapes into the right-hander, he may very well be a handful. The debutant took 4 wickets.
Lungi Ngidi too chipped in, consuming Ok.L. Rahul with a supply of additional bounce and away-swing. Rahul, going for a `launch’ shot, after being tied down, edged into the cordon.
Cheteshwar Pujara, put down at mid-wicket by Rabada when he flicked Ngidi uppishly, was fairly unluckily caught, nicking Ngidi down the leg-side.
The motion was engrossing. Virat Kohli survived a vociferous shout for leg-before when he performed round an incoming ball from Rabada.
Kohli fell quickly after lunch, his run of detached kind persevering with. This time he was, fatally, drawn like a moth to fireside to a widish supply angled throughout him from Jansen.
There are downside areas in Kohli’s batting. He shuffles throughout and seems weak to deliveries darting in, can be uncertain across the off-stump.
Rahane appeared in good contact once more and he launched into Jansen, square-driving, hooking and cover-driving the paceman.
Nevertheless, Rahane was unable to consolidate, failing to maintain a hook off Jansen down.
The left-handed Rishabh Pant, the X issue, lower Jansen furiously to the fence.
Rabada took out R. Ashwin with a imply lifter however Pant was unfazed, hammering assist seamer Wiaan Mulder to the additional cowl fence.
Pant’s bustling run-a-ball 34 – he ultimately miscued a pull off Rabada – was the principal cause India set a goal past 300.