Though sundar

Barsapara Cricket Stadium: South Africa maintained their dominance in the ongoing second Test by reducing India to 174/7 in 67 overs at lunch on day three at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Monday. India still trail South Africa by 315 runs, though Washington Sundar’s unbeaten 33 and Kuldeep Yadav’s resistance for 14 not out meant they are keeping the hosts in a fight through an eighth‑wicket stand worth 52 runs.

Marco Jansen’s hostile spell of short‑pitched bowling ripped through India’s middle order, claiming Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja to leave the hosts reeling. Though Sundar and Kuldeep have batted for 141 balls together, India’s immediate target will be to avoid the follow‑on, which is 116 runs away.

India’s hopes of mounting a fightback after the tea break quickly unravelled when Rishabh Pant, who was seen as the one batter capable of counterattacking against the Proteas, fell for just seven. Pant’s attempt to take on Marco Jansen backfired when he danced down the pitch for a wild slog, but only edged to the keeper and burnt a review.