#CRICKET SCORING 1 LR FULL#

With over 24000 runs in international cricket, Rahul Dravid has had tremendous success in his career scoring runs all over the world. On this day 49 years ago, one of Indian cricket's finest was born. Having starred in the Gabba heist by this time last year, Pant would love to pull off something similar to help India make history again. 'The idea has always been to sharpen the edges, not take them away completely, writes Prakash on India's young wicketkeeper-batsman who came under scrutiny recently during the second Test. India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar(c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi Kohli as expected comes in place of Vihari. Toss can play a crucial role at Newlands.

#CRICKET SCORING 1 LR FULL#

A diving Peterson almost caught the ball at slip diving full length but couldn't grasp it and Rabada almost snared KL at the other end when a ball took off to take the edge, only to evade the slip cordon. He was in two minds whether to leave or poke at it and he eventually ended up nicking it behind to the keeper.Д«oth Mayank and KL had a close reprieve but otherwise it's been a solid start for the Indians. This was bowled just outside off and Rahul was tentative. Both Rabada and Olivier have been consistent over the last few overs and that has resulted in Rahul's downfall. Three maiden overs in a row does the trick. The skipper walks out to bat on his 99th Test. A very good delivery that was and he would look to keep bowling the same line to Kohli as well. Rabada pitches it a tad fuller just outside off and it straightens a touch to take Mayank's outside edge.

End of a pretty good knock from Pujara who showed intent today. He had to play at it and the credit should go to the bowler. Pujara survived that but the next ball came in with the angle and straightened to take the outside edge. Jansen enters the attack and bowls a freebie on the pads for Pujara to pick up another boundary but he bounces back quickly and almost traps the batsman lbw next ball with a delivery that came back in. This is a massive period of play for India. Pant has joined his skipper out in the middle. He thinks the ball might have hit the pad on the way to the keeper but the replays confirm that he had indeed edged it. The finger goes up but Rahane isn't sure. Rabada bowls one on a good length and Rahane edges behind. India on the other hand will be glad that they don't have to face him for a while now. South Africa got to be careful though and make sure they don't overwork him. And his intensity levels didn't drop off either towards the end of this spell. That's almost one third already in just two sessions. South Africa have bowled 51 overs so far this innings and Rabada quite stunningly, has bowled 16 of them. An intriguing final session is on the cards. South Africa know that they are only two wickets away from running through this line up. And India would want that desperately considering they have already lost four wickets. Kohli has shown tremendous amount of application, something that we haven't seen in recent times.

It had everything and that battle between Kohli and Rabada was indeed a treat. He would want to make this count and get to number 71. He has taken his time, opted to not fish around the offstump and in the process, has slowly reached an important landmark. It has taken him 158 balls and without a doubt, it's one of his most crucial knocks. It's his second slowest half-century in Tests. Poor shot, poor timing as well as this partnership was flourishing. Pant goes ahead and guides it straight to gully. He did control his instinct today and looked determined to make it count but he can't keep it down forever can he? This was quite close to cut and the bounce did him as well. Can Shardul Thakur stand tall and give his skipper some company? Jansen angled one across Ashwin and the batter pokes at it only to edge it behind. They just need one more wicket to have a go at the tail.

Ashwin follows Pant back into the pavilion and South Africa are well and truly on top of this game now. Looks like Kohli will be stranded at one end at this rate. He defends one using hard hands and the man at short cover takes a good catch. Thakur just smashed a six off Rabada but has fallen to Maharaj in the next over. South Africa have seen the back of Shardul Thakur now and that will expose the tail now with Kohli stranded at the other end.

Cricket scoring 1 lr