South Africa vs India 2018, 3rd Test, Day 1: 5 things we learnt

Spurred on by Vernon Philander's miserly spell and the five-man pace attack, South Africa bowled India out for 187 after the visitors won the toss and decided to bat first on a green-tinged surface. Though Cheteshwar Pujara resisted with a gritty half-century, South Africa were relentless with the ball and India's no. 3 ran out of reliable batsmen who could support him.

Though the hosts were shoddy with their catching, India gifted too many chances, especially Virat Kohli, and South Africa were all over them like a rash.

The Proteas then lost Aiden Markram to Bhuvneshwar Kumar late in the day before nightwatchman, Kagiso Rabada, and Dean Elgar took them to safety.

#5 Vernon Philander's incessant eight-over spell

Philander was outstanding with the ball in the first session

Vernon Philander marked his 50th Test with an exceptional opening spell of eight overs that featured seven maidens, just one run scored, one wicket taken and a zillion balls scoot past the outside edge. The niggardly South African medium pacer hit his straps early, found the right length and kept plugging away.

The seam movement on offer made batting against him a nightmare. He set up Lokesh Rahul with a few out-swingers before bringing one back into him to eke out an inside edge. Cheteshwar Pujara was peppered outside his off-stump with ones that seamed in or moved away and the Indian no. 3 was lucky to survive against Philander's outrageous control.

#4 Pujara's battle goes on and on

Cheteshwar Pujara took his time to get off the mark

Tasked with anchoring India's innings, Pujara had come a cropper in the first two Tests, flirting outside his off-stump and running himself out twice. At the Wanderers, the Saurashtrian entered his comfort zone as South Africa's bowlers threatened all through the morning session. He was content leaving most deliveries, if not playing and missing them.

It took him a whopping 54 balls and close to 90 minutes to get off the mark. The no.3 batsman was content to stay at the crease on a surface that had swing, seam and bounce for South Africa's five quick bowlers. With India losing two up front, they needed the assurance of Pujara, and the reliable batsman stood up and gave them exactly that.

#3 South Africa's costly mistakes

Faf du Plessis missed a trick by not reviewing an LBW shout

South Africa were nearly flawless with the ball all through the first session but had two lapses that proved to be extremely costly. Lungi Ngidi struck Cheteshwar Pujara on the back-foot off one that angled into the right-hander but the South African skipper and Quinton de Kock thought it might be going down the leg-side and chose not to review.

Replays showed that the ball would have hit the leg-stump.

The costlier one, though, was Virat Kohli's let off. Kagiso Rabada constantly tested Kohli on a fourth stump line and suddenly decided to bounce the skipper. Kohli was in no position to hook but took on the delivery, with the edge carrying to cover where Vernon Philander put down a sitter.

Kohli was then put down by AB de Villiers off Morne Morkel in the second session, the acrobatic South African missing a straightforward chance off an ugly shot from the Indian skipper.

Ajinkya Rahane was the next one to be let off as Philander had him caught behind off a no-ball. While Rahane departed soon after, the Kohli drops hurt South Africa.

#2 Virat Kohli's charmed life

Kohli was let off twice by the Proteas

Virat Kohli hit a lucky half-century with some exquisite shots sandwiched between some ugly swats outside the off-stump and some shoddy catching by the Proteas. The Indian skipper was let off by Vernon Philander who put down a skier that arrived off a mistimed hook off Kagiso Rabada.

Soon after, Kohli played some audacious cover drives before edging a wide ball from Morne Morkel to de Villiers, who put down another chance. The Indian skipper then went on to make the Proteas pay and reached his half-century before Lungi Ngidi - quickly turning into his nemesis - had him caught in the cordon.

#1 South Africa wrap up the tail after dismissing Pujara

Rabada cleaned up the tail

Pujara was the sole obstacle between South Africa's seamers and the tail. Andile Phehlukwayo, who had bowled pathetic lines until then, found the right length and enough nip away from Pujara to eke out an outside edge. The no.3 batsman's 179-ball vigil came to an end and the hosts had the much-needed opening they sought.

Hardik Pandya fell to a horror pull shot, once again off Phehlukwayo, and India had lost their last recognized batsman. Though Bhuvneshwar Kumar hung around to make 30, South Africa saw off any further threat by bowling the visitors out for 187.