South Africa vs India 2018: India's probable playing XI for the third Test 

No. 3 is a pivotal position in Tests, and Cheteshwar Pujara knows it fairly well. Yet, the Pujara who anchors the hull so well on subcontinental wickets has a muddled frame of mind when it comes to batting overseas, having failed to impress during crucial tours to England, Australia, New Zealand, and now South Africa. His hobbling running style and the subsequent barrage of run-outs have not helped his cause.

The only Indian batsman who has shown even a semblance of a fight is captain Virat Kohli, who, barring a suspicious technique against outswingers and a tendency to play late across drifting leg-side deliveries, has shown the right intent with the runs to match. The onus will be on him to salvage something from this tour.

There has been enough hue and cry about Ajinkya Rahane's exclusion: one of the most dependable Test match players was suddenly warming the benches at the expense of Rohit Sharma, whose Test match batting looks as out of place as a grand-dad on the Kingda Ka roller-coaster. With one Test to go, his assurance on the crease can hopefully bring out some sanity in an imploding middle-order.