India 497 for 9 dec (Sharma 212, Rahane 115; Linde 4-133, Rabada 3-85).

South Africa first innings 162 (Hamza 62, Linde 37; Yadav 3-40, Shami 2-22) Second innings 132 for 8 (De Bruyn 30*; Shami 3-10, 2-35)

India won the toss and elected to bat.

If the Freedom Trophy series between India and South Africa was a boxing match, the referee would have stopped it ages ago.

South Africa have been bruised, battered and bashed in vital parts of the body by the Indians and are on the brink of unconsciousness.

With them being 132 for eight at stumps on day three, it’s now a matter when, rather then if India will inflict another innings victory to complete a series whitewash.

After the second day of play had ended due to bad light in the final Test match of the series, the third day resumed with the Proteas sitting precariously on nine for two, chasing India’s total of 497 for nine, declared.

India made light work of the Proteas’ batting line-up, quickly bowling them out for a paltry 169 in the first innings.

Kohli asked the South Africans to follow-on, and it was a case of déjà vu as India’s bowlers once again did damage to the Proteas’ top order early on.

Two overs into the follow-on Quinton de Kock was bowled by Umesh Yadav. Zubayr Hamza, top scorer in South Africa’s first innings with 62 runs, was clean-bowled by Mohammed Shami for a duck. Shami then bowled one that kept low and angled into Faf du Plessis, striking him on the pad. The skipper was out lbw for four.

Temba Bavuma was next to leave just as quickly as he had arrived. He edged a Shami delivery to Wriddhiman Saha, who took a diving catch, leaving South Africa in a spot of bother at 22 for four.

As if to personify the treatment the Proteas have received from India throughout the series, opener Dean Elgar was unfortunate enough to be at the end of a Yadav bouncer which struck him on the side of the helmet, leaving him concussed. An early lunch was called by the umpires to allow him treatment.

However, he did not return post-lunch, retired hurt. And he was replaced by Theunis de Bruyn under the new concussion substitute rules.

South Africa simply could not handle the pace of Shami and Yadav, losing 16 wickets for 285 runs on the third day; the pair accounting for a combined 10 of those.

Hamza, who was a beacon of light for the Proteas in the first innings, with his 62 runs off 79 balls and 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Temba Bavuma, said his teammates were surprised by the Indian pacers.

“I would say, based on the general thought of playing in India, you’d assume that it would be tougher to play against the spinners. I wouldn’t say we under-prepared against the seamers.

“I will just say that maybe we should have prepared more mentally in terms of playing them in whatever conditions that we were faced,” said the number-three batsman at the end of play.

When the match resumes tomorrow, Tuesday 22 October, India will be looking to finish off the job and put the Proteas out of their misery. DM