Kohli-Pandya partnership crucial for us on Day 3: Ishant

Losing three crucial wickets in the final session of the second day might have put India in a spot of bother but pacer Ishant Sharma feels that the visitors have a good chance of taking the Test away from South Africa if Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya build up a good partnership on Day 3.

Centurion: Losing three crucial wickets in the final session of the second day might have put India in a spot of bother but pacer Ishant Sharma feels that the visitors have a good chance of taking the Test away from South Africa if Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya build up a good partnership on Day 3.

"I think it's pretty important partnership, obviously, because the way Virat is playing it is totally a different game. If Hardik gets going he can take the game away from the opposition. He backs his strength totally and I am hopeful they will take the game away from South Africa," Ishant said.

India were 183 for 5 at the end of day’s play. While Kohli still batting at 85 showed resilience against the Proteas quicks, team lost important wickets of Vijay, Rohit and Parthiv in the last session. However they also managed to score 103 runs in the final session of the day. Debutant Lungi Ngidi got his maiden Test scalp when Parthiv edged one outside his off-stump to keeper De Kock.

Earlier, India wrapped up the South African innings on 335. The home team lost their remaining four wickets adding only 66 to their overnight score of 269. Ravichandran Ashwin picked up four for 113.

The fast bowler however, denied that India were in control of the game just yet. "It was a pretty even day because we bowled them out pretty easily for 335 runs. On this kind of a wicket I think this was a good effort by the bowlers and we are at 183 for 5, so I think it was a pretty even day for both the teams," Ishant said.

The Centurion pitch has been the talking point right from the start of the match. The wicket has remained two paced since day 1 of the Test.

Talking about the pitch the lanky fast bowler said "It is tough to say (how the wicket will change) because it is not the same wicket we got in Cape Town. It's a totally different kind of wicket, so it is important how we are going to play in tomorrow's first session."