South Africa vs India 3rd Test, Day 2: 5 things we learnt from the day

#4 Kagiso Rabada's vigil

The usually expressive Rabada wore a dour look as he battled it out with the bat

As a nightwatchman, Rabada's role was to stay at the wicket and ensure that he would see off the day without further damage. This he did with aplomb on day 1 but unlike the other nightwatchman, he did not throw his bat at a wide one and gift his wicket early on. Instead, he appeared more compact than Dean Elgar and defended inside the line, rarely letting his bat waft outside the off-stump.

It was an impressive display of solid defence and excellent judgement outside the off-stump from Rabada on a surface where bowlers call the shots. His 30 came in 84 balls and frustrated Kohli and co to no end. They had to get into the likes of Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers in the morning session but Rabada's vigil ensured that South Africa held the aces going into lunch, although he was dismissed an over before it.