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Published 14:48 IST, October 13th 2019

Keshav Maharaj & Philander frustrate bowlers as India eye win on Day 4

South Africa's tailenders are once again holding the fort for the visitors after the team's top-order failed to fire all cylinders on Day four of the 2nd Test

Reported by: Koushik Narayanan
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South Africa's tailenders are once again holding the fort for the visitors after the team's top-order failed to fire all cylinders on Day four of the second Test in Pune on Sunday. Once again, it was Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander fighting it out for the Proteas against a frustrated Indian side who are aiming to wrap up the match on the fourth day itself. Having enforced the follow-on in the first session of Day four, India managed to reduce South Africa to seven wickets before tea, with Vernon Philander and Keshav Maharaj once again building a partnership to save South Africa of the blushes. In the previous innings, the tailender duo stitched together a partnership of 138 runs, frustrating the Indian bowlers who finally managed to get a breakthrough in the last over of the final session from Ravi Ashwin. Skipper Virat Kohli has been rotating his bowlers, giving both spinners and pacers the chance to create a breakthrough, and also bowled an over himself after Tea. 

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Keshav Maharaj & Philander frustrate Indian bowlers

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Wriddhiman Saha proves his worth 

Wriddhiman Saha took yet another spectacular low-catch to get rid of South Africa's skipper Faf Du Plessis on Day four of the second Test in Pune on Sunday. Earlier in the day, Wriddhiman Saha had taken a screamer behind the stumps, as he dove to his left to grab a one-hander to get rid of de Bruyn for a second time in this match. Wriddhiman Saha managed to juggle and hold on to a low delivery that was edged by Faf DuPlessis off Ravichandran Ashwin's delivery. Wriddhiman Saha juggled four times with the delivery before managing to hold on to it. With this catch, Wriddhiman Saha has completed three jaw-dropping catches in this match and is now definitely in the contention for donning the gloves for India in the longer format of the game. Netizens hailed Wriddhiman Saha's keeping skills and said that he had indeed repaid the faith of the selectors and skipper Virat Kohli, who provided him with an opportunity after replacing Rishabh Pant in the longer format of the game. 

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14:31 IST, October 13th 2019