Despite conceding a significant first innings lead of 77 on a pitch that has kept seam bowlers continuously interested, India harbour hopes of a comeback victory with Cheteshwar Pujara reckoning that any total upto 350 could be chased down in the final innings. Pujara's claims were strengthened by a spirited effort on Day 2 from Hardik Pandya, who scored a quickfire 93 and followed it up with two wickets to keep India's faint hopes alive.
"To be honest we don't want to chase too many runs but at the same time, the way the wicket is behaving, I think, anywhere around 350 will be chaseable," Pujara said. "First innings, the top-order obviously didn't click but second innings I think we will put up a better show and if we continue to bat well, we can definitely get more than 350."
In Pandya and Pujara, India found contrasting solutions to combat South Africa's vaunted bowling attack to climb out of the quagmire they'd dug themselves into late on Day 1 when they slipped to 28 for 3. Along with an equally stubborn Rohit Sharma, Pujara stonewalled the South African pace attack for over an hour in the morning session and while that approach didn't yield validation in the form of runs on board, it did display the presence of a plan and willingness to fight.
"They bowled in the right areas obviously, but at the same time we knew what we wanted to do. We almost got that, I think. Rohit got out but otherwise we were trying to build a partnership and we almost got it. So, overall in the first session, we lost just one wicket and overall we did bat well today. The minus point was losing three wickets yesterday, that's where I think we should have batted better. But overall I think we are in a good position. We got two wickets today and if we bowl well tomorrow, and if we are chasing somewhere around 350, I think, we are very much in the game," Pujara said.
Pujara's claims of India remaining in the contest was backed up the forecast for rain in Cape Town on Day 3 and the injury-forced absence of Dale Steyn from the hosts' bowling attack, although South Africa's decision to play five bowlers will still avoid a Perth 2016 like situation.
"I think there is something in it [the pitch] for the fast bowlers and that is what we will try and do tomorrow. We will try and exploit some areas where we know that there will be some seam movement for the fast bowlers. Yes, it is getting better to bat on but there is still something in it for the fast bowlers, Pujara said. "Have heard that there might be some rain tomorrow seeing the forecast, so there will be some clouds around and our bowlers might get some more swing. But time is important, if there is rain interruption we have plenty of time to get a result in this game."
Kagiso Rabada, too, refused to rule India out of the contest just yet, stating that his side will have to fight their way to victory than might have been the case with a bigger lead. "We will take the lead of 77," he said. "At the end of the day we will take it. After the sort of momentum they got in the second session, we would take that lead. Obviously we were hoping for a bigger lead, but India are not going to roll over and we expected that. That is what they showed out there.
"We are slightly ahead. We are not gonna give in we need work hard. It is tough to say a score [target] right now. We are looking at bat time, looking to bat normally and see what happens from there. We want to make it hard for them to score," the young pacer said.
