SA vs IND: Dean Elgar kept the Indian bowlers at bay late on Day 3.© AFP
Former India batter Gautam Gambhir said India shouldn’t lose belief ahead of the fourth day of the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg. India were bowled out for 266 on Wednesday and set the Proteas a target of 240 to win. In response, the hosts were 118/2 at stumps on the third day, with skipper Dean Elgar unbeaten on 46. Speaking on Star Sports in the post-stumps show, Gambhir replied to a query about India’s chances on the fourth day, saying, “It’s just about eight deliveries. If you get one good wicket, probably then you can get one or two more; straightaway you get into that middle-order and the lower-order as well. So, I think it is possible (for India to win).”
Gambhir also praised India all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who followed up his seven-wicket scalp in the first innings with a crucial breakthrough in the second – the wicket of South Africa opener Aiden Markram.
“Aiden Markram was the one who got the entire innings off to a great start because it was very important to get off to a decent start,” Gambhir said.
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“Sometimes you can take someone lightly. When you face people like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami from either end and suddenly you see Shardul Thakur, you can actually relax. But then that was a very good over. It was not about that particular delivery but about many deliveries before that as well where he got (Markram) beaten,” he added.
“I thought that Shardul was very, very good. He stuck to his plans, didn’t do anything outside his plans and just kept bowling good line and length and he got his reward as well. Because there’s a lot happening off the wicket as well. When there’s a lot happening off the wicket, you don’t need to try too much. So that’s the reason I say things can happen tomorrow as well because you just need to keep believing and keep thinking that good deliveries and you will probably get the rewards as well,” Gambhir elaborated.
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