India vs South Africa Mohali Test Day 2 Highlights: Cheteshwar Pujara Fifty, Murali Vijay's Solid Knock Gives Hosts Advantage
Ravichandran Ashwin was the star for India as he spun a web around the South Africans. Despite an attacking fifty from AB de Villiers, the Proteas conceded a 17-run lead and Cheteshwar Pujara, along with Murali Vijay, helped India extend the advantage. Catch all the moments here.
It was a day of attrition for South Africa as the spinning trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra spun their magic in dusty Mohali. Barring the genius of AB de Villiers, none of the South African batsmen negotiated them well. R Ashwin picked up his 13th five-wicket haul and India gained a slender 17-run lead. Cheteshwar Pujara extended India's advantage with a solid fifty and they have ended the day on top. Catch all the highlights of this gripping day here. (SCORECARD | NEWS | SCHEDULE)
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16:40 hrs IST: That will be stumps and India are in a magnificent position. They have managed to extend their lead to 142 thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay. In tough conditions, Pujara has shown that he is the man for the moment as he brought up his seventh Test fifty. However, the star of the day has to be Ravichandran Ashwin who picked up 5/51 and reached 150 wickets.
16:25 hrs IST: Kagiso Rabada is getting a bit of reverse swing but nothing substantial to trouble Indian batsmen. Virat Kohli has slashed at couple of wide deliveries but luckily the didn't get an edge. Floodlights are on and with three overs to go. Meanwhile Cheteshwar Pujara has completed a well-deserved half-century.
Pujara reached the landmark with a boundary off Dean Elgar to complete his seventh Test half-century. India lead the visitors by 127 runs.  ÂÂ
16:05 hrs IST: WICKET! Imran Tahir strikes for South Africa FINALLY! Brilliant delivery from the leg-spinner catches the edge of Vijay's bat and but the catch was even better. Temba Bavuma dives onto his left and side and takes a stunner to dismiss Vijay for 47. India lead by 113 runs. Murali Vijay c Temba Bavuma b Imran Tahir 47
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16:00 hrs IST: Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara put on 77 runs as India extend their lead over 100 runs to march into a commanding position. India reached the landmark courtesy of a four byes off Kagiso Rabada.ÂÂ
15:50 hrs IST: South Africa seems to have lost the plot here. They seem to be going through the motions and are just waiting for things to happen or hoping that the batmen would make a mistake. Meanwhile in the dressing room, we can see Ishant Sharma, who can't stop smiling and Virat Kohli who just can't keep quiet for a minute.ÂÂ
15:30 hrs IST: Vernon Philander brought back into the attack as Cheteshwar Pujara clips off his pads for a brace. Won't be a bad idea to give Faf du Plessis few overs. After all he is a handy leg-spinner and with the pitch turning square, it could well be a change.ÂÂ
15:20 hrs IST: Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay have combined well for India, putting on a half-century stand. They completed the partnership as Vijay took a single off Simon Harper as India stretch their lead to 76 runs.
15:05 hrs IST: South Africa is clearly missing Dale Steyn, who is forced to sit out due to groin injury. The pitch seems to have slowed down considerably but the spinners can still exploit the rough patches.
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Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay are closing in on a half-century stand. Both of them are looking to be aggressive against Simon Harmer and Imran Tahir.ÂÂ
14:45 hrs IST: Pujara is playing the big shot and Vijay has made great progress with five boundaries. India have extended the lead past 50.
14:30 hrs IST: Welcome back! The final session will be crucial for both teams. South Africa have a mountain to climb since Dale Steyn will not be bowling. The spinners will be shouldering the burden.
14:10 hrs IST: That is tea and India have taken the lead to 30. However, Shikhar Dhawan's pair will make the Indian team worried. South Africa will be aiming to take more wickets as they look to restrict the lead to under 200.
13:50 hrs IST: Shikhar Dhawan goes! Life is cruel indeed. After he smashed 187 against Australia at this same venue, he comes down to earth with a pair. Dhawan c de Villiers b Philander 0 (7).
Similar mode of dismissal. Full ball angled across outside off, Dhawan stabs at it and gets an edge that flies to second slip. De Villiers does the rest. Will he retain his place for the second Test?
13:45 hrs IST: This is news! Dale Steyn has been diagnosed with a groin injury and will not bowl at least today. Simon Harmer is opening the bowling. According to a statement, the South African management do not want to risk aggravating his injury even further.
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13:35 hrs IST: Brilliant from Ashwin as Imran Tahir pops a catch to short leg to finish with five wickets for the 13th time in his career. His haul of 5/51 has also meant that Ashwin has now got 150 wickets. India lead by 17 runs.
13:27 hrs IST: Beauty from Amit Mishra. He has cleaned up AB de Villiers with a peach of a legbreak that pitches on leg stump, grips and spins away sharply to knock off stump. Mishra is absolutely pumped up. Will India take a lead? South Africa 179/9, trailing by 22 runs.
13:20 hrs IST: Complete brain fade from Steyn. He should have done better to give de Villiers company. Steyn st Saha b Jadeja 6 (14).
Complete brain fade from Steyn. He dances down the track and looks to slog but he misses it, Saha does the rest.
13:14 hrs IST: Drinks in Mohali with neither team holding the initiative. Until De Villiers is at the crease, South Africa have a chance of taking the lead but it is surprising that Kohli has not gotten Ashwin back into the attack for the new batsman.
13:04 hrs IST: Dropped! Mishra drops a simple chance off Dale Steyn. The batsman drove it back to the bowler at a comfortable height but Mishra is still not able to hang on. Poor effort
13:01 hrs IST: WICKET! Mishra breaks the stubborn stand but it was a dodgy decision from umpire Dharmasena. Simon Harmer LBW Amit Mishra 7 (25).
Mishra pitches this ball on leg stump and it spins away sharply, Harmer hangs back and plays down the wrong line and gets hit on the pads, Mishra vehemently appeals and umpire Dharmasena, after a long time, gives it out. That ball was possibly missing off stump because it was turning sharply.
12:54 hrs IST: While de Villiers is holding fort in Mohali, Kane Williamson is doing the same in Brisbane. New Zealand are tottering under the Mitchell Johnson onslaught and at stumps, they are 157/5, trailing by 399 runs.
12:53 hrs IST: Confusion but in the end, Harmer survives. He has been living dangerously in this partnership and he survives again. In the previous overs, he slogged Ashwin and the top edge landed safely. Now, he looks for a quick single and is ball watching, he sets off late but the throw is not accurate and Mishra breaks the stumps without collecting the ball.
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12:44 hrs IST: Magnificent from AB de Villiers. He smashes a fifty off just 63 balls. It is his 37th fifty and in these conditions, he has stood out. He survived a testing spell from Ashwin but he has shown why he is the best. South Africa are 161/6, trailing by 40 runs.
12:31 hrs IST: WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja continues his fine form and he gets Philander. However, he is mighty close on the no-ball again. Philander c Rahane b Jadeja 3 (27).
Good work from Rahane and Jadeja. He gets this delivery to straighten outside off and Philander pokes at it, the edge flies low to Rahane at first slip who takes the catch. Umpire Dharmasena wanted to check for the catch and on the no-ball and Jadeja was clean on the no-ball, but only just. The catch was also taken cleanly. South Africa 136/6, trailing by 65 runs.
12:20 hrs IST: The action now shifts back to Mohali and Kohli is going for the kill. Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin have opened the attack after lunch and they will be going for the kill. AB de Villiers holds the key for South Africa and he will be hoping for the tail to wag.
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12:05 hrs IST: With the action just about to start, Sachin Tendulkar and the Masters of the Cricketing Universe have converged in New York for a special occasion. Catch a glimpse of it here
11:44 hrs IST: While lunch is being taken in Mohali, over in Brisbane, Tom Latham departs for 47 with Mitchell Starc getting the breakthrough. New Zealand are 102/2, trailing by 454 runs.
11:30 hrs IST: It has been a brilliant session for India towards the end. South Africa have thrown the initiative away and they have allowed R Ashwin to spin a web around them. His haul of 4/36 has been outstanding and the way he has troubled AB de Villiers was a sight. South Africa are 127/5 at lunch and it will be interesting to see how they cope up after the break.
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11:22 hrs IST: Double strike for Ashwin and South Africa are in massive trouble. Amla and Vilas go in quick succession.
Lucky break for India. Amla is lured out of the crease by a flighted delivery from Ashwin and Saha is unable to collect, however, the ball goes off his gloves and bounces on the bail to knock it off. Amla's poor run continues. Hashim Amla st Saha b Ashwin 43.
In the last ball, Dane Vilas top-edges a slog and the catch is taken by Jadeja at backward square leg. Vilas c Jadeja b Ashwin 1 (3). South Africa 107/5, trail by 94 runs.
11:12 hrs IST: So much drama! It has taken five minutes for the third umpire to come to a decision. Jadeja gets de Villiers to poke at a delivery and it rebounds off Saha's gloves to Kohli. Umpire Dharmasena asks de Villiers to wait and they check for a no-ball. Jadeja's foot is not behind the line and after plenty of replays, De Villiers gets a life.
11:00 hrs IST: A magnificent over from Ashwin. He has completely troubled de Villiers. In the third ball, Ashwin gets one to spin back in sharply and De Villiers plays all around it. The ball was spinning down the leg side though. In the next three balls, Ashwin beats the World's premier batsman comprehensively.
10:52 hrs IST: Loud appeal for a catch but umpire Dharmasena is unmoved. India keep appealing and the umpire says enough. Jadeja gets this delivery to straighten just outside off and AB de Villiers has a feel for it, the ball goes past the outside edge. Replays suggest that the ball just missed the bat. Correction: There was a faint edge. AB de Villiers has gotten a big let-off.
10:50 hrs IST: WICKET! What a horror shot to play under the circumstances. Elgar is absolutely gutted and Ravichandran Ashwin tells him that this is not the way to play as he goes. The 76-run stand is broken. Elgar c Jadeja b Ashwin 37 (123).
Flighted delivery from Ashwin just outside off, Elgar attempts to slog to deep midwicket but ends up taking his eyes off the ball, it flies off the outside edge and Jadeja takes it comfortably at backward point. The pressure is right back on South Africa. Enter AB de Villiers.
10:40 hrs IST: With South Africa battling out in Mohali, New Zealand have also made a positive start against Australia in Brisbane. Martin Guptill and Tom Latham are batting well.
10:35 hrs IST: Drinks in Mohali and the first hour of the day has belonged comprehensively to South Africa. Amla and Elgar are batting calmly and are making steady progress. Amla is also using the crease well and employing his feet to combat Ashwin while Elgar is watching the ball carefully.
10:25 hrs IST: In the air, but just short of Virat Kohli at leg slip! Ashwin nearly had Amla caught down the leg side again. Tossed up delivery and it drifts in sharply, Amla looks to nudge it down the leg side and he plays it with soft hands, the ball bounces just in front of Kohli who dives to his right to stop it. Remember, Amla was caught down the leg side during the Twenty20 series off Ashwin.
10:19 hrs IST: In the previous over, umpire Kettleborough was having a word with Varun Aaron just advising him to stay away from the danger area of the pitch. He has not yet gotten an official warning.
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10:14 hrs IST: Elgar uses the crease well and cuts Ashwin to deep backward point for a boundary. The partnership has now gone past 50. Things are looking slightly dicey for India. These two batsmen are playing the spinners much better today. South Africa 61/2, trailing by 140 runs.
10:11 hrs IST: Varun Aaron is struggling for control as he regularly strays onto the pads. South Africa are getting some easy runs. Will Virat Kohli consider spin from both ends? Ashwin might take some time to get into rhythm and it might not be a bad idea to employ Jadeja from the other end.
10:00 hrs IST: Ashwin is into the attack and immediately, he is troubling Elgar. On the fourth ball, there is a stifled appeal for a run-out as Ravindra Jadeja scores a direct hit at the bowler's end but Elgar has made it comfortably.
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09:54 hrs IST: So far, Umesh Yadav and Amit Mishra are not causing much troubles to Elgar and Amla. Mishra is getting generous turns but Elgar is nicely getting behind the line. He is trying to employ the sweep but he is missing some of them.
09:47 hrs IST: With the match having started in Mohali, let us turn our attention to Brisbane. Usman Khawaja has smashed 174 as Australia have declared on 556/4. New Zealand have started off solidly with Martin Guptill and Tom Latham braving up against the two Mitchells, Starc and Johnson.
09:41 hrs IST: Catch dropped by Wriddhiman Saha! It was a tough chance, honestly. Elgar goes back and looks to late cut it but gets an outside edge, the ball hits Saha on the pad and he is unable to get down to collect it. Elgar gets a life on 21.
09:30 hrs IST: Amit Mishra opens the bowling on day two and Elgar begins confidently, slog sweeping him for a boundary towards deep midwicket and then cutting him past backward point for three runs. Seven runs already in the first over and it is a confident start. Will they adopt a positive strategy today?
09:15 hrs IST: Dean Elgar, who picked up 4/22 in the first innings, his career-best haul, criticised the Mohali wicket saying that the wicket has already crumbled significantly. Sunil Gavaskar, in his pitch report, has said that it will not be an easy wicket and the batsmen will have to mix caution with aggression.
09:10 hrs IST: Welcome to day 2 of the first Test match between India and South Africa from Mohali. India looked to be in trouble when they were bowled out for 201 but they have bounced back by restricting South Africa to 28/2. For the Proteas, they will be facing a severe test against spin and they will be aware that R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra will be bowling majority of the overs.
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Batting reputation went for a tailspin on Thursday. Indian skipper Virat Kohli got an early birthday present on Day 1 of the Mohali Test - he won the toss and promptly opted to bat. A combination of poor stroke selection and an unusually slow pitch with prominent roughs let India down badly.
Part-time spinner Dean Elgar ripped through India's batting line-up with four wickets as South Africa made the hosts rue their decision to bat first. But India, all out for 201, finished almost on level terms at stumps. Spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin, who opened the bowling, and Ravindra Jadeja brought the smiles back on Kohli's face as South Africa fought for survival.
Elgar (13) and captain Hashim Amla (nine) will start at 28 for 2. Elgar, who has a century in Galle, will be up against India's trickiest bowler, Ashwin. The 29-year-old from Chennai has been India's main strike bowler in recent times, claiming 21 wickets in the recent three-Test series in Sri Lanka to walk away with the man-of-the-series award. (Mohali conditions will favour Virat Kohli's men: Sunil Gavsakar)
Ashwin will be backed by the deadly accurate Jadeja and the wily Mishra. But what will surely matter is how well the Indians hold their catches.
Attacking field placement
In the final hour of play on Thursday, one got the impression of Day 5 of a Test match on a minefield of a wicket. Five fielders around the batsman and waiting to kill. Day 2 in Mohali will see similar patters as Kohli is bound to attack from the first ball. (Indian total much bigger than it looks: Sanjay Bangar)
Just how difficult it is going to be for the batsmen going forward became evident in South Africa's 20 overs at the crease. Fortunately, they have three very cool customers in Elgar, Amla and AB de Villiers, who have shown their ability to handle both pressure and extreme sub-continent conditions in the past.
To win this Test match after losing the toss and being condemned to bat last will be an achievement of some magnitude.