India set South Africa a stiff 241-run target to win the third and final cricket Test after scoring 247 in their second innings, which ended during the final session of the third day, in Wanderers.
Ajinkya Rahane was the top-scorer for the visitors with his 48-run knock. The lower-order batsmen Bhuvneshwar Kumar (33) and Mohammed Shami (27) chipped in with useful knocks.
India are trailing the three-match series 0-2. Chasing 241, South Africa lost Aiden Markram early when he was caught behind by Parthiv of Shami's bowling for 4.
In the second session, Rahane and Virat Kohli (41 runs off 79 balls) put on 34 runs for the fifth wicket. The duo was fluent and played attacking shots even as the pitch continued to deteriorate. Kohli looked a class apart on a tough wicket and with the innings went past Mahendra Singh Dhoni (3454 runs in 60 Tests) in the list of most runs as Test skipper. But he was bowled off an unplayable delivery from Kagiso Rabada that seamed in off the pitch in the 50th over.
Rahane, however, played some attacking shots, primarily off Morne Morkel as India's lead crossed 150. Bhuvneshwar, at the other end, looked solid. The duo were helped by South Africa's poor effort in the field as both Rahane and Bhuvneswar were dropped once each. Dean Elgar first dropped Bhuvneshwar on 15 at gully off Morkel in the 59th over and then six balls later, Andile Phehlukwayo dropped Rahane on 38 at deep point off Rabada. Just before tea, the duo brought up their 50-partnership off 68 balls, almost knocking the wind out of the Proteas.
Meanwhile, the pitch continued to come under increasing scrutiny. In the 58th over, Rahane was hit by Rabada and the two umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould had a long chat in the middle and inspected the pitch before play resumed. In the morning session, Rabada had hit Kohli in the 31st over and then Murali Vijay in the 35th over, both on the hands as they failed to fend off sharp, rising deliveries.
The Wanderers' pitch is increasingly coming under criticism from former cricketers and commentators here for its dangerous nature. From the beginning, the ball was kicking off length from Corlett Drive End. From the start of play on day three, the ball had started rearing up from Golf Course End as well.
The talk of the morning was about the uneven bounce of the Wanderers track with some of cracks on good length and short of it opening up. Michael Holding on air called it a pitch which he rated as "2 out of 100" and called for ICC sanction. In fact the former West Indies paceman went ahead and felt that some of the batsmen could be seriously hurt as everyone does not have the technique and big heart like Kohli.
"I understand Virat Kohli wants to play but not everyone can handle what he can," said Holding. Earlier, opener Murali Vijay and skipper Virat Kohli showed lot of grit on a treacherous track as India reached 100 for 4 at lunch. Vijay was out at the stroke of lunch when Kagiso Rabada's yorker cleaned him up after he showed a lot of patience scoring 25 off 127 balls during his three hour and 14 minutes vigil at the crease.
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