Some beautiful spin bowling from Ravindra Jadeja and Shabaz Nadeem restricted South Africa to 129/6 at Lunch on day 3 of the third Test at Ranchi. Proteas lost four wickets in the first session and trail team India by 368 runs.


India declared Day 2 on 497/9 as speedsters Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav reduced the South African side to 9/2, dismissing both their openers before bad light stopped play.

Faf Du Plessis & Zubayr Hamza took the guard for South Africa on Day 3, trailing India by 488 runs.

Following a disastrous start to their innings, the batting duo of Faf and Hamza looked to steady their ship. However, Umesh Yadav got the big breakthrough by bowling an absolute ripper to get skipper Faf (1) clean bowled with just his fifth delivery of the day.


Next to the crease was Temba Bavuma, who looked to repeat his top score of 102*. After Faf’s loss, Hamza and Bavuma batted well to resurrect South Africa’s innings as they stitched together a fifty partnership to take their side to 68/3 after 11 overs.

Moreover, Hamza scored his maiden Test half-century off just 56 balls in style by hitting a six off Ashwin's delivery. South Africa crossed the 100-run mark with Hamza and Bavuma's 90-run stand.

After an unsuccessful review, Jadeja dismissed Hamza a ball later for 62 off 79 balls. Three balls later, local boy Shabaaz Nadeem bagged his maiden test wicket. The 30-year-old offie foxed Bavuma (stumped 32 off 72 balls) and wicket-keeper Saha did the rest, to give team India back-to-back wickets.

Adding misery to already depleted Proteas batting lineup, Jadeja bowled an absolute beauty - almost unplayable - to go through Klaasen's defence and get the touring side six down for just 124 runs.

South Africa lost four wickets in the first session before lunch on 129/6.