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JOHANNESBURG – Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took three wickets as South Africa bowled India out for 187 to take the opening day honours on a seaming wicket in the third and final test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Aiden Markram (2) was the only South African wicket to fall as he edged a delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, with the pitch giving plenty of encouragement to both sides’ all-seam attacks.
The hosts will be pleased with their day’s work after India had won the toss and elected to bat, despite having dropped catches, eschewed what would have been a successful review and at times bowled too short and wide.
De Villiers bruised the middle finger of his right hand in taking the catch and had to leave the field for treatment.
He had a slice of early luck when given not out after Ngidi struck him on the pads. South Africa did not review umpire Ian Gould’s decision and replays showed the ball would have hit leg stump.
Rabada (3-39) was perhaps the pick of the home bowlers, both fast and accurate. He removed opener Murali Vijay (8), caught by De Kock, before grabbing the wickets of Ishant Sharma (0) and the stubborn Kumar (30).
Morne Morkel (2-47) and Vernon Philander (2-31) also chipped in with wickets but were guilty at times of bowling with too much width, failing to make the batsmen play.
The home side had already claimed the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead but are chasing a first clean-sweep against India.