New Delhi:
South Africa were in dire straits on the third day of the Pune Test against India with Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami wrecking havoc. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with key wickets to put the Proteas in bigger trouble. However, a hilarious incident occurred in the 48th over of the South Africa innings and it involved Jadeja and skipper Faf du Plessis. The bowler bowled a flatter delivery and the South Africa skipper played down the wrong line to get hit on the pad.
Jadeja backtracked and appealed vehemently but as he did that, he tumbled backwards and was on all fours. To make matters worse, he had treaded on the danger area of the pitch and he was given an official warning by the umpire.
This has been a good Test so far for Jadeja. In the India innings, he played a huge role in the side changing momentum after Virat Kohli had notched up his double ton. He shared a magnificent partnership in excess of 200 and he blasted 91 to help India reach 601/5 declared. Jadeja went for quick runs and was instrumental in setting the pace quickly which allowed the Indian bowlers to take three quick wickets.
The left-hander looked good for his second ton but he miscued a lofted shot and was caught at widish mid off. While bowling, Jadeja struck after the lunch break when he dismissed Senuran Muthusamy LBW for 7. In the Vizag Test, Muthusamy had not been dismissed in both innings and this was the first time that he had been dismissed in cricket.
The Pune Test has belonged to Kohli so far as he broke several records during his knock of 254. After notching up his seventh double ton, 19th as skipper and also went past 7000 runs in Tests, he clobbered Dean Elgar over wide long on to notch up his 250 and register his highest individual score in Tests. He went past Sachin Tendulkar's highest individual score of 248 which he made against Bangladesh in 2004. This was Kohli's 50th Test as Indian skipper and this was his ninth 150-plus score as captain, breaking the record set by Sir Don Bradman who had smashed eight. Kohli has scored a century in 11 different venues in India and his 19th century as captain levelled the mark set by Ricky Ponting of Australia.
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Kohli is the only skipper in history to have hit seven double centuries as captain, breaking the mark of five set by Brian Lara. This was his sixth double century in India, having smashed 200 against West Indies in North Sound during the 2016 series. During the course of his knock, he also went past 1000 runs in Tests against South Africa.
India are currently leading the three-match series 1-0 and are on course to win the match and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
