In what seemed to be a mirror image of the Mohali game, India batted first after winning the toss in the third Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur and were bowled out for 215. South Africa then provided another inept display against India's spinners in the nine overs they batted, losing two wickets to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja each, to finish the first day at 11/2.
India continued with their policy of making spin-friendly wickets, but unlike the first match, the biggest threat of the day was the tall and pacey Morne Morkel. India had pushed their way to a 50-run opening partnership, before Dean Elgar took a great catch off his own bowling to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan. Morkel then dislodged a stubborn-looking Murali Vijay.
After the lunch break, India collapsed. Cheteshwar Pujara missed a straight ball to be adjudged plumb leg-before, before Morkel delivered two beauties to get rid of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. Rohit Sharma, brought into the team in place of Varun Aaron, only scored two and India were looking down the barrel at 125/6.
A good partnership from Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja pushed the target beyond 200, with spinner Simon Harmer picking up 4/78.
When South Africa came out to bat, it became clear that the ghosts of the past two Tests still haunted them. Ashwin got one to turn away and nick Stiaan van Zyl's outside edge, after which Imran Tahir, sent in as night-watchman, missed a straight one from Jadeja to be bowled.
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