Images from Day 3 of the second Test between South Africa and India, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
South Africa's batters, led by skipper Dean Elgar, dug their heels in to get within 122 runs of a series-levelling victory against a determined India and set up a gripping fourth day in the second Test, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
Elgar (batting on 46 off 121 balls) took some nasty blows off deliveries that shot up off the cracks, but kept his team on course at 118 for 2 at stumps on Day 3 in pursuit of a tricky 240-run target set by India in the wake of a solid century-plus partnership from Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
Shardul Thakur (1 for 21), who is in the middle of a great Test, snared his eighth victim of the game in an over during which the ball seamed, bounced and kept low from the same spot, the last one crashing into opener Aiden Markram's (31) pads.
Keegan Petersen (28) added 46 with his skipper before being trapped leg before by a delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin (1 for 14) that drifted and turned.
However, like every new innings in this match, where the heavy roller has made batting easier by ironing out the rough on the good length spots, Elgar was ready to play the ugly game by putting his body on the line, getting hit on the knuckles, chest, shoulder and even head, prompting a quick on-field concussion test.
While South Africa will be content that they have half a foot through the victory door, there have been numerous instances in the series where a batting collapse changed the course of the game.
What is worrisome for India going into the fourth day are the batting conditions that have improved as the match progressed and Mohammed Siraj's fittness. He bowled only four off the 40 overs sent down till stumps.
Earlier, resuming the day at 85 for 2, India called the shots, with Cheteshwar Pujara (53) and Ajinkya Rahane (58) striking half-centuries. But once they were dismissed by Kagiso Rabada, the innings lost momentum as Rishabh Pant was out without opening his account.
However, Hanuma Vihari (40 not out) and Shardul Thakur (28) defied the Proteas attack to swell India's overall lead.
Things heated up a bit late in the Indian innings after Jasprit Bumrah was hit by deliveries from Marco Jansen.
The South African pacer sent down a couple of good bouncers to Bumrah, who swung, failed to connect and was struck on the right shoulder. Two deliveries later, Bumrah was again struck on the shoulder as he attempted another cross-batted swing.
The two players, who were at Mumbai Indians during last season's IPL, exchanged words before the umpire intervened.
Pacers Rabada (3 for 73), Lungi Ngidi (3 for 43) and Jansen (3 for 67) shared nine wickets between them.
If India defend the total, they will seal a maiden Test series triumph in South Africa.
Earlier, under-fire senior batters Pujara and Rahane added a lifeline to their respective careers with crucial half-centuries, but South Africa came back strongly by reducing India to 188 for 6 at lunch.
Rabada breathed fire in the final 45 minutes while Duanne Olivier and Ngidi also hit the right lengths to get four quick wickets before India went to lunch with a lead of 161 runs and South Africa looking to polish off the lower order and set themselves a gettable target, since anything in the vicinity of 200 would be difficult to achieve at the Bull Ring.
The match was delicately placed as Pant's indiscreet shot put India in a spot after Pujara (53 off 86 balls) and Rahane (58 off 78 balls), in a rarely seen counter-attacking mode, added 111 runs in just 23.2 overs.
Having understood that time is indeed running out for them, both the batters decided not to try and hang around as they looked for scoring opportunities. The half volleys were driven imperiously and the width was dispatched disdainfully square off the wicket.
When Marco Jansen bowled one short, Rahane uncorked the slash over point for a six.
Pujara's 50 came off 62 balls while Rahane's half-century was completed off 67, signalling that they were trying to show 'intent' and put team's interest above everything else.
They hit 18 fours and a six between them.
There was a time when India were 155 for 2, with a lead of 128, and it seemed that South Africa's propensity to bowl too short or too full was proving to be damaging.
But then Rabada, South Africa's best exponent of fast bowling since Dale Steyn, produced a piece of inspiration that is so synonymous with traditional format.
He found that ideal back of length where there is a crack and it landed there to deviate sharply, taking Rahane's edge into keeper Kyle Verreynne's gloves.
Pujara then got one from Olivier in the off-stump channel to be plumb despite lunging far forward.
However, the man who disappointed one and all was Pant, who first got a snorter from Rabada that hit his helmet visor when he tried to defend awkwardly and then he charged like a raging bull trying to convert a short ball into half volley. The result was an edge to keeper.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar called it irresponsible batting and said “no excuse and nonsense of playing a natural game" can be provided when people like Rahane and Pujara were "taking blows" for the team.
