India set a target of 212 runs for South Africa to score in the last innings of the Cape Town Test match. The target looked good when the Proteas came out to bat, but as skipper, Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen stretched a 78-run partnership for the second wicket, things look grim for the India side as SA needs just 111 runs to win the Test and seal the series at 2-1.
The only silver lining for India in the last session of Day 3 was the wicket of Dean Elgar on the last ball of the day. South Africa still has Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, and Marco Jansen who can bat.
Indian bowlers will have to step up and prevent the South African batsmen from scoring the remaining runs. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have picked up one wicket each while the other bowlers have failed to pick a breakthrough.
The series is tied at 1-1 and Day 4 of the Cape Town Test can be a decisive day, not just for this Test match, but for the World Test Championship points table.
India must look back on their first-innings performance when SA were 112/3 and the Indian bowlers managed to bowl proteas out for 210 runs. A similar situation has occurred and Indian bowlers must bring in their A-game.