SA vs IND 1st Test: India on verge of defeat as Proteas dominate

Cape Town: After South African batting collapsed for a paltry 130 in the second inning of the first Test, India also surrendered before the pace attack of the hosts losing their 7 wickets till Tea on Day 4 at the Newlands here on Monday.

At Tea, India at 82/7 was on verge of going 0-1 down in the three-Test series with Ravichandran Ashwin (1 off 15) batting at the crease when the visitors need 126 more runs to win.

Vernon Philander was at his very best at a tough wicket for batsmen as he hit the deck at the right positions to put the Indian team on back foot.

Coming in to bat after Lunch, India lost Shikhar Dhawan (6 off 20, 2 fours) at team's total of 30 runs while his companion Murali Vijay (13 off 32, 2 fours) also returned without adding any runs to the team’s total.

Cheteshwar Pujara could not produce any resistance as he departed after adding 4 runs off 13 deliveries. Skipper Virat Kohli remained positive and kept rotating the strike, but was trapped in front of the wickets by a charged up Philander.

Also Read: SA vs IND 1st Test: Proteas all out for 130; India needs 208 to win

He got out at 28 runs off 40 balls and scored 4 boundaries. Rohit Sharma could not continue his good form getting 'played-on' to the same bowler (Philander). He scored 10 runs off 30 balls. Wriddhiman Saha (8 off 19) tried his best to stand tall at the tough occasion but finally proved to be inapt to face the pacemen like Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel.

He departed on the last delivery of the second session on Day 4.

Philander has bagged three wickets while Rabada and Morkel have taken two each. The trio has not let their captain feel the absence of Dale Steyn who has been ruled out of the series following an injury.