… South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi takes 6-71 as India all out for 327

MOHAMMED Shami claimed his 200th Test wicket with figures of 5-44 to earn India a healthy advantage against South Africa on day three at Centurion.

The India seamer bowled consistently for his five-wicket haul and reached both milestones by removing Kagiso Rabada as the home side were bowled out for 197, a first-innings deficit of 130.

Shami’s efforts helped his side to regain the initiative following their earlier collapse to 327 all out, with South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi taking 6-71 – a Test performance only bettered by his 6-39 three years ago, also against India at the same venue.

Resuming on 272-3 after the second day had been lost to rain, India’s middle order quickly crumbled in the face of a sustained burst by Ngidi and Rabada (3-72), with six wickets going down for just 30.

KL Rahul added just one to his overnight score of 122 before he was caught down the leg side, attempting to hook Rabada, and within the next seven overs the tourists slumped to 308-9.

Jasprit Bumrah (14) provided brief resistance, clobbering Marco Jansen for two boundaries before becoming the left-armer’s maiden Test victim, courtesy of Wiaan Mulder’s tumbling catch.

Bumrah (2-16) then struck a blow by having Dean Elgar caught behind in the first over of the Proteas’ reply and Shami found some movement to bowl both Keegan Petersen and Aidan Markram just after lunch.

South Africa were reeling at 32-4 when Rassie van der Dussen was caught at gully, but Temba Bavuma (52) and Quinton de Kock (34) applied themselves with a gritty partnership of 72, which ended only when the latter played on to Shardul Thakur.

Bavuma marched on to his half-century, bringing up the landmark by pulling Shami to the boundary – only for the next delivery to take his outside edge and register a 100th Test dismissal for Rishabh Pant.

Rabada (25) led a spirited counter-attack by the tail, but Shami angled one across him to complete his five-for and Bumrah – back on the field after landing awkwardly during his delivery stride – wrapped up the innings when Keshav Maharaj holed out.

INDIA 1st innings
Lokesh Rahul c Quinton de Kock b Kagiso Rabada 123
Mayank Agarwal lbw Lungi Ngidi 60
Cheteshwar Pujara c Keegan Petersen b Lungi Ngidi 0
Virat Kohli c Wiaan Mulder b Lungi Ngidi 35
Ajinkya Rahane c Quinton de Kock b Lungi Ngidi 48
Rishabh Pant c Rassie van der Dussen b Lungi Ngidi 8
Ravichandran Ashwin c Keshav Maharaj b Kagiso Rabada 4
Shardul Thakur c Quinton de Kock b Kagiso Rabada 4
Mohammed Shami c Quinton de Kock b Lungi Ngidi 8
Jasprit Bumrah c Wiaan Mulder b Marco Jansen 14
Mohammed Siraj not out 4
Extras: (b-4, lb-4, nb-11) 19
Total: (all out, 105.3 overs) 327
Fall of wickets: 1-117, 2-117, 3-199, 4-278l, 5-291, 6-296, 7-29, 8-304, 9-308.
Bowling: Kagiso Rabada 26-5-72-3 (nb-11), Lungi Ngidi 24-5-71-6, Marco Jansen 18.3-4-69-1, Wiaan Mulder 19-4-49-0, Keshav Maharaj 18-2-58-0.
SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings
Dean Elgar c Rishabh Pant b Jasprit Bumrah 1
Aiden Markram b Mohammed Shami 13
Keegan Petersen b Mohammed Shami 15
Rassie van der Dussen c Ajinkya Rahane b Mohammed Siraj 3
Temba Bavuma c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 52
Quinton de Kock b Shardul Thakur 34
Wiaan Mulder c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 12
Marco Jansen lbw Shardul Thakur 19
Kagiso Rabada c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 25
Keshav Maharaj c Ajinkya Rahane b Jasprit Bumrah 12
Lungi Ngidi not out 0
Extras: (lb-4, nb-7) 11
Total: (all out, 62.3 overs) 197
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-25 , 3-30, 4-32 , 5-104, 6-133, 7-144, 8-181, 9-193.
Bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 7.2-2-16-2, Mohammed Siraj 15.1-3-45-1 (nb-1), Mohammed Shami 16-5-44-5, Shardul Thakur 11- 1-51-2 (nb-6), Ravichandran Ashwin 13-2-37-0.
INDIA 2nd innings
Lokesh Rahul not out 5
Mayank Agarwal c Quinton de Kock b Marco Jansen 4
Shardul Thakur not out 4
Extras: (b-1, nb-2) 3
Total: (one wkt, 6.0 overs) 16
Fall of wickets: 1-12 Agarwal
Bowling: Kagiso Rabada 3-0-7-0 (nb-2), Lungi Ngidi 2-1- 4-0, Marco Jansen 1-0- 4-1.