Rohit carving up the Saffers again on Indian roads. This Test has a distinct look of deja vu at stumps on first day.

That's their WC reputation. It all started with some rain in Sydney in 1992. There was rain in Auckland in 2015. There was one cup they got the DL score to the batsmen on the pitch wrong.

They have been very very very unlucky. At WC's, but in 1999 they were the best team at the World Cup. Everyone knew it. And Aus beat them 1 run, then tied the semi and went through by virtue of beating them the game before. Aus won the first of 3 back to back cups, but everyone knew SA choked that one.

Gibbs was infamously told by Steve Waugh "you just dropped the world cup". Waugh denies saying it. But SA choked big time in 1999. Think the Kluesner Donald run out. They had both games in the bag. And folded.

But its rather fitting that 3 of the greatest ODI games ever are SA v Aus. And its 1 all with a tie. SA won the 430 game and broke Aus' world record score in the second innings, Gibbs got 90 odd. You 2 nations have produced some cracking matches. You may prefer beating England, but as a neutral, SA were the only bowling unit to push you outside Asia. Only SA (or NZ with a fit Bond) could regularly get remotely close to your wonder side.

Tbh, SA v Aus was a match everyone looked forward too in the cricket world. Regardless of who they supported. Such was the respect of the Saffir bowlers, and the enitre Aus team.

I wouldn't have thought they are the biggest chokers, Baggers.

I just read that india have won 11 successive series at home.

The Indian keeper, Saha, looks a lot better than Pant.

This Test is following the same pattern as the last one... Saffers getting a proper hiding and showing their ineptitude against spin ..specially. Philander is batting better than the batsmen. Embarrassing. 

Uhmmm, I think they exceeded in the first innings to be fair. I don't think they choked. They were smashed in SL, and had a stronger team then. 

India is a tough place to win, only Pakistan has managed it regularly of late.

Saffers choked big time. 

Is the ball playing tricks off the cracks? Reckon Kohli sensed that when Bavuma fell to that low one. I said at the time it hit a crack.

6-50. Over by lunch?

Hello has everyone gone walkabout?

Not getting too carried away by the Saffers reply. They did show good resolve. The bottom line is there are no demons in this deck as proven by a rather ineffectual display by Ashwin and Jadeja on day three. But expect this road to start crumbling and offer variable bounce and turn on the last day and a half.. and the Saffers will have to bat last.

Edgar may not get all that many centuries. But when he does it usually when the Saffers most need one.

I admire his grit.

Du Plessis and Edgar keeping the Saffers in the game.. just.

How odd. An Indian fielder actually on his knees. Never seen that before.

Ashwin bowls Markram thru the gate. Move your feet man.

Ashwin does what he does best on his decks. Saffers 3-39 at stumps.

Forgetting several hours were lost yesterday..  so Kohli had no choice but to declare. India will have 20 overs at the Saffers before stumps.

Surprising! 

India now 7-502. I think the Indian spinners will get enough out of this wicket to worry S African batsmen. 

Declaration from India at this score. 

India's strong middle order.. Kohli, Pujara and Rahane.. contributing a mere 41 runs.

Tea score 5-450. India a minimum 550 from here.
Agarwal having fun out there. Made the Saffer spinners look second rate.

This deck makes our roads look like a sticky wicket.

Visakhapatnum. 

This ground is very familiar having seen it pretty full
and noisy for test cricket. It doesn’t say which city though. 

India 3-394. 

Kohli out c & b Muthusamy the left handed finger spinner, extracting a bit of turn with one that kept low. 

Agarwal’s 161 NO has been a big contributor to a score of 2-371 for India. 

What happened to the decent spinner SA had? 

It's over. Put  a fork in this one...

India with only the one loss..Sharma (176) at lunch on second day. 1-324..Agarwal 138*

Maharaj is fine. But not at the other end then no pressure. Anderson would suck in Aus. Eng is Archer in Aus.

SA dropped spinners after the 1st test in 2018. Worst decision ever.

Yeah agreed on SA batting noobs, though.

You mean if England draw in NZ? I don't see that happening. Unless Archer and Anderson demolish us. Cos their batting won't.

Cheers, Baggers.

Hey guys I was remiss not posting this in the international thread. But looks like you are now embracing it. So I guess here it stays.

Yes India look in ominous fettle. They are making one of the world's best attacks look like schoolboys. When a bloke who has played only 27 Tests since 2013 and has a reputation in white ball cricket such as Rohit Sharma..can make batting look like a picnic..then the Saffers are in big trouble. Just imagine what their specialists Kohli, Pujara and Rahane will do to this lame attack.

No quality spinner for SA Paddles, dishing up bread and butter stuff for the Indians. Rain the only hope for SA. If they lose 2-0 or 3-0 and NZ get up against England, big gap develops between NZ and SA. Australia V NZ won't affect NZ too much even if they lose 3-0, still be No 2. Funny thing is if NZ and England draw their series England move up to 3rd and Australia remain at 5th even winning 2-0 against Pakistan. And England have nothing presently without Anderson.

That's the difference in being able to play in the sub continent. SA without ABdeV got spanked in Sri Lanka last year didn't even score 200 runs in total for one test, Barely got past 300 in the other. I'm waiting for SA to bat hopefully they may uncover someone who will step up, Bavuma? de Bruyn? I won't hold my breath but maybe. 

Pant was always going to be dropped, only has performed against Australia which is not becoming a hard thing to do in recent times.