New Delhi

South Africa held the upper hand at stumps on the third day in their second innings of the second cricket Test against India as they ended at 118 for 2 in chase of a victory target of 240 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussenwee batting on 46 and 11 when stumps were drawn with the hosts 122 runs away from a possible victory.

Earlier in the day, India resumed their second innings at 85 for 1 and Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane picked up where they left off on Day 2. Pujara and Rahane qwho had flopped in the first innings took India past the 100-run mark and also brought up a 50-run patnerhip.

Pujara scored his 32nd Test fifty off just 62 balls. Rahane went on to smash Olivier for two consecutive boundaries to bring their century stand and also get to his 25th Test 50.

South Africa finally got their breakthrough after the drinks break when Rabada dismissed Rahane on 58. Rabada went on to trap Pujara LBW on 53.

Ashwin cracked 16 off 14 balls before Lungi Ngidi dismissed him at the stroke of lunch to leave India at 188 for 6 with a lead of 161. Shardul Thakur played a cameo smashing 4 more fours and a six before being dismissed by Marco Jansen on 28.

Rishab Pant was out for a duck. The tail failed to wag but Hanuma Vihari’s unbeaten 40 took India to 266.

 South African openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar posted 47 runs before  Shardul Thakur dismissed Markram on 31 to give the visitors their first breakthrough.Keegan Petersen (28) was the second wicket to fall with the score at 93 when Ashwin scalped him.  Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen batted out the rest of the overs safely to keep South Africa in the hunt to level the series.

India lead the three-match Test series 1-0 after a 113-run victory in the first Test at Centurion.

Brief Scores:

India               :  202 and 266

South Africa  :  229 and 118/2