India's tryst with fourth-innings collapses in 2018

#3 South Africa vs India, Cape Town, 2018

South Africa celebrate after getting Virat Kohli

On a green seamer, India, courtesy Bhuvneshwar Kumar had reduced South Africa to 3-12 on the first morning of the Newlands Test before South Africa's middle-order led by AB de Villiers (65) cashed-in on India's bowler's inconsistency and inability to take advantage of the conditions to post a competitive 287 in the first innings.

India's batsmen including Virat Kohli (5) hardly showed up as the quartet of Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, and Kagiso Rabada reduced the Men in Blue to 7-92 before Hardik Pandya's baptism with fire (95) took them of what looked like well nigh impossible at one stage, the 200-run mark.

Trailing by 78 runs after the first innings, Indian bowlers spearheaded by debutant Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) and Mohammed Shami (3-28) brought the tourists back into the game as they bowled South Africa out for 130 leaving their team 207 runs to win in the fourth innings.

But, yet again, India's long-standing fourth-innings woes emerged into the spotlight as they were bowled out for 135 with R Ashwin (37) finishing as the top-scorer- a testimony to recurring batting issues.