South Africa lead India by 147 runs after posting 392/7 in 100 overs at lunch on Day 3 of their continuing first Test match in Centurion on Thursday. On that topic, here are three things South Africa must do correctly to dominate on Day 3 of SA vs IND 2023 Test.
Dean Elgar and Marco Jansen had a 100-run partnership for the Proteas.
Elgar, on the other hand, fell short of a double century, falling to Shardul Thakur for 185 off 287 balls. Meanwhile, Jansen remains undefeated and will seek to create a partnership with Kagiso Rabada after lunch.
India batted first and scored 245 before being bowled out on Day 2. South Africa presently holds the key, and if they can grab the pivotal day of the Test, the Men in Blue would be put under considerable pressure.
Three things South Africa must do correctly to dominate on Day 3
- Dean Elgar was at his successful peak on Day 2 of the Test against India, and he appeared as solid as ever. The determined left-handed hitter kept the innings throughout and got more than half of the team’s runs on his own.
The Indian wicketkeeper stayed with the tail to help his team reach 245 in the first innings. Elgar must do the same to extend the team’s lead as far as feasible, and South Africa’s tail strength, combined with India’s failure to bowl out the lower order, appears to be a major advantage.
- Given their current situation, South Africa may reasonably strive for a substantial advantage. The Proteas will be seeking a match-winning lead with Elgar looking near-invincible and a good string of lower-order hitters like Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, and Kagiso Rabada.
The pitch is also projected to accelerate, which means that South Africa may have batted when it was at its best, and India may have a difficult time despite a likely mild relaxation due to the cloudy weather.
- Although it is a risky move, the Proteas might explore pairing Nandre Burger with Kagiso Rabada for the second innings rather than Marco Jansen. Burger and Jansen, both left-arm seamers, rely on swing to hamper the Indians’ right-handed batter lineup.
The former was able to get the ball moving but struggled to control it, so he ended up bowling to the pads more frequently. With a touch more speed than Jansen, he will be a more dangerous menace if he makes that precise correction in line.
Read Also:- Ben Stokes and colleagues receive an ominous warning from Steve Harmison