5 talking points from the India-South Africa 3rd Test

The 3rd Test of the Gandhi-Mandela series at Nagpur saw yet another dominant display from the Indian spinners as they helped India take an unassailable 2-0 lead with just one more Test remaining. After getting bowled out for 79 in their 1st innings, the South African batsmen showed some fight in their second essay, but it was not enough as another Test in the series ended within 3 days.While the result of the 4th Test at Delhi does not have a bearing on the outcome of the Test series, it certainly holds its own significance for both teams. India would want to complete a comprehensive 3-0 series win, whereas the Proteas would want to return with their head helds high.Follwing are some of the key talking points from the Nagpur Test:

#1 Pitch talks prevail again

Domingo refuses to blame pitch for the visitors' batting failures

As was the case in the 1st Test at Mohali and the 1st innings of the rain-affected Bengaluru Test, the pitch has once again been the buzz word and everyone seems to be having an opinion about. While ‘diabolical’ has been a popular description of the pitch, there have also been talks about the poor quality of cricket on display and suggestions for holding 3-day Test matches.

There has also been an opinion from across the border for deducting points in the ICC rankings from teams who are encouraging the culture of doctoring the pitch to suit their requirements. On the other hand, there are some counter views denouncing all the pitch talk and enjoying the entertainment factor that the Test has provided.

The South African camp, however, is not complaining a great deal about the pitch despite being on receiving end. Their coach Russell Domingo has been very clear in letting everyone that they will not complain about the pitch at this stage and instead gave credit to the Indian spinners for doing well.

A few of the Indian players too have taken to the media to point out how no hue and cry is made about the pitches when Indians struggle to adapt elsewhere and it should be the same when other teams tour India.

The pitch talk is likely to spill over to the next Test too and may remain a point for discussion even after the series is over.

#2 South Africa sink further down

Faf fu Plessis showed plenty of grit in the second innings, but it was in vain

The way the South African batting line-up consisting of stalwarts like Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers crumbled in the first innings is also one of the primary talking points of the Nagpur Test. The 79 they registered in their 1st innings was their lowest total against India in Tests and their 12th lowest of all time in Tests.

South Africa may have thought that they are past their worst when they were bowled out for a paltry 109 in Mohali. But there was more to come as they succumbed or a score of under 100 for the second time in Tests against India, with the only previous occasion being the 84 at Johannesburg a few years back.

After completing the limited-overs stages of their tour quite successfully, the all-powerful Proteas would have expected to put on a strong showing in the Tests too. But sadly, that has not been the case so far and having aready lost the series, there is just pride left to play for in the 4th Test.

#3 Ashwin shows actions speak louder than words

Ashwin delivers on his promise

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made the 3rd Test of the Gandhi-Mandela series his own, with a sparkling 12-wicket haul, which almost single-handedly put the South Africans out of their misery. Adding this performance to his exploits in the first 2 Tests makes Ashwin the primary contender for the Man of the Series award already.

A few days prior to the Nagpur Test, Ashwin had made claims in the media of being the best bowler in world cricket today. Well, his efforts in this Test may have fetched him a few more believers now.

Best in the world or not, one has to admit that Ashwin is not the same bowler that he was, say even 6 months back. He is extracting more turn, the variations are beautifully disguised and he is controlling his pace well. Another great virtue that has been on display from the lanky Tamil Nadu spinner is that his new-found patience as he is not trying too many things and waiting for the batsman to make a mistake.

The ongoing series against South Africa, particularly this Test, will go a long way in pushing Ashwin towards the threshold of greatness.

#4 An incredible record comes to an end

Amla become the first Proteas skipper to lose a Test series in India in a decade

Since their 1-0 loss in the 2004-05 Test series, South Africa had not lost a series on Indian soil for 9 years. However, India’s series clinching victory in Nagpur has brought an end to their record of being the only team to do so in the recent past.

During the 2007-08 Test series between the two teams, the series finished level at 1-1 with the 1st Test at Chennai ending in a draw, while South Africa and India won the 2nd and 3rd Test respectively. Next came the 2-Test series in 2009-10, where South Africa took the lead at this very venue but lost the next one at Kolkata by a comprehensive margin for a 1-1 result once again.

The Proteas would have expected to carry on with their good record in India, but things have gone completely topsy-turvy for them ever since the ongoing Test series began. However, they do have a chance to prevent a clean sheet for India if they register an unlikely win in the last Test.

#5 India\'s struggles with bat continue

Kohli is having a forgettable series with the bat

It may be turning out to be a fabulous series for India in terms of the result, but an ongoing worry has been the poor form of most batsmen in the team. Only Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara have looked the part in conditions which are quite obviously not very ideal for batting.

Starting from the top, Shikhar Dhawan has looked completely out of sorts throughout the series barring the incomplete innings of 45 in the Bengaluru Test. He did get a start in the 2nd innings here, but he failed to capitalize on it and fell to Imran Tahir for 39.

The form of the middle order has also been poor, especially Kohli and Rahane who have managed just 95 runs between them. Both of them are class players in their own right, but quite incredibly they look to be more adept in foreign conditions than on the rank turners in India.

Rohit Sharma was drafted only for the Nagpur Test, but has not shown any of the prowess that he displayed in the ODI series prior to the Tests. Jadeja, who is mainly fulfilling his bowling duties in the series, has made some useful contributions along with wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Overall, the Indian think tank will have to seriously look into the state of Indian batting line-up in home conditions once the series gets over, if they want the team to succeed in the long run.