India declared on 497-9 shortly after debutant spinner George Linde’s fourth wicket on day two of the third and final Test a the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday.
Resuming on 224-3 overnight, the hosts climbed to a hefty first-innings total on the back of opening batsman Rohit Sharma’s double-century.
Sharma’s 212 spanned 255 deliveries – and featured 28 fours and a sextet of towering sixes. It marked India’s third double-century this series. Opener Mayank Agarwal struck one in the first Test in Visakhapatnam – and captain Virat Kohli another during the second in Pune.
Left-arm spinner Linde, a late addition to the squad and then the XI in the absence of the injured Keshav Maharaj, recorded a telling 4/133 in 31 overs. An economy rate of 4.29 would have read significantly lower, had tail-ender Umesh Yadav not clobbered Linde for five sixes during an entertaining stay of 31 from just 10 balls.
The home side boast an unassailable 2-0 series lead after comfortable victories in Visakhapatnam and Pune.
New issue: Bavuma – one size fits all
India: Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami.
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock, Zubayr Hamza, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), George Linde, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
Photo: Gallo Images
