India vs South Africa, 3rd Test Day 1

India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 1: That is all from our live coverage of day one of the third Test between India and South Africa from the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. Rain followed by bad light to stopped play as Ajinkya Rahane remained 17 runs short of his 11th Test century. But India remain on top after the impressive 185-run stand between Rahane and Rohit Sharma en route to which the latter notched up his sixth Test century and third of the series. The Protea spinners looked out of their depth and their pacers didn't have the fire that they brought in the first session of the day.

IND vs SA, 3rd Test, Day 1, Ranchi: INDIA 224/3 (Rohit 117*, Rahane 83*) at stumps

15.01 IST: Play has been stopped due to bad light. Stay tuned for updates when the game starts again if lights get better at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi! India 224/3 from 58 overs.

14.54 IST: Nortje to Rohit, FOUR! Bad bowling from Nortje. Goes into his pads and Rohit clips it in the air for a boundary. Easy pickings. 

14.51 IST: Linde to Rahane, FOUR! Round the wicket and flick of the wrist through mid-wicket for a boundary. Beautifully done by Jinks. Moves into the 80s.

14.37 IST: Anrich Nortje to bowl from the other end.

14.34 IST: The players back on the field. Rahane to take strike, Linde to bowl for SA.

14.14 IST: TEA! Rohit and Rahane have taken India to a position of strength in the session. 134 runs for no loss from 29 overs and in the process, both have achieved personal milestones as well. Rohit reached his 6th century in Tests while Rahane slammed his 21st Test fifty. India on top after the second session of day one. Join us soon for the third session of the day!

14.06 IST: George Linde is back on for the Proteas.

13.52 IST: Piedt to Rahane, SIX! Dances down the track and straight over the bowler's head for a maximum. His first of the innings.

13.44 IST: Piedt to Rohit, SIX! HUNDRED! Pitched up and no fears whatsoever as he slams it over long-off on one knee and that's a century. His sixth in Test cricket and third of the series. Also goes past the 2000-run mark in Test cricket.



13.40 IST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR! Pitched up and clipped past the bowler over the non-striker's head for a boundary.

13.36 IST: Piedt to Rohit, SIX! Full and this time lofts it over long-on for a maximum. Moves into his 90s with the six. A proper one-day shot executed with sheer ease.

13.29 IST: Piedt to Rohit, SIX! Full and slammed over mid-on for a six. A flat maximum from Rohit, his second of the innings and he moves into the 80s.

13.28 IST: Piedt to Rahane, FOUR! Overpitched and driven through the covers for a boundary. No pressure being built on the batsmen here. Easy runs for India.

13.20 IST: Piedt to Rahane, FIFTY! Driven down the ground for a boundary and that's his fifty. A well made and attacking fifty for the Indian Test vice-captain. His 21st in Test cricket.

13.19 IST: Dane Piedt into the attack for the first time in the match.

13.10 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Strays down the leg and clipped off his pads for another boundary.

13.10 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Pitched up and driven past catching mid-off for a boundary. It was air bound but difficult to catch at that speed and another boundary for Hitman.

13.06 IST: Linde to Rohit, FOUR! Copybook from the last over. Looked to use the angle but ball doesn't spin and he easily flicks it through the vacant leg-side for another boundary.

13.05 IST: Nortje to Rohit, FOUR! Typical Rohit! Stands tall and crunched through the covers for a boundary off his back foot.

13.00 IST: Linde to Rohit, FOUR! Down the leg and easily flicked for a boundary.

12.56 IST: Nortje to Rahane, FOUR! Short and wide and cut away through point for a boundary.

12.38 IST: Nortje to Rohit, FOUR! FIFTY FOR ROHIT! Rohit Sharma brings his 11th half-century in Test matches in style. A fuller ball outside the off stump and Rohit elegantly puts it through to the long-off boundary.

12.36 IST: Anrich Nortje into the attack.

12.35 IST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR! This is aggressive from Rahane. Slightly off line and another boundary through the leg-side. This time square of the wicket. Breezes into his 40s.

12.32 IST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR! Bad ball now. High and down the leg and Rahane flicks off his hips for a boundary down the leg.

12.31 IST: Rabada to Rohit, FOUR! Lovely bowling from Rabada but unlucky! Gets an edge once again but it flies through the slips for another boundary. Moves on to 47

12.19 IST: 13 runs from the Rabada over. Also the 50-run stand between the two.

12.17 IST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR! Another boundary. Third of the over. This time in total control. Opens the surface of the bat and goes through third-man for another boundary.

12.17 IST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR! Edged and Faf misfields it at slips for a boundary. Sloppy fielding from the South Africa captain.

12.16 ST: Rabada to Rahane, FOUR!

12.10 IST: We are back for the second session. George Linde to resume after the break, Rahane on strike.

11.33 IST: LUNCH! First time South Africa have taken the session on the first day of the Test in the series. Rabada started off well and Nortje finished it with Kohli's wicket. Rohit looked a  different batter today and guided the hosts to 71/3 after the first session of day one's play on a dry track. Join us in a while for the second session of the day!

11.29 IST: Nortje to Rohit, SIX! One more short delivery and one more boundary... this time it goes for a six. Nortje bangs it short and despite the fielder being present, he pulls it for a boundary.

11.22 IST: Spin introduced for the first time. Debutant George Linde into the attack.

11.20 IST: Ngidi to Rahane, FOUR! Extracts the outside edge but fortunately for Rahane, it's wide off the players in the slip and it goes for a boundary. Second of the innings for him. 

11.16 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Short and wide outside off...pulled away for a boundary. His fifth of the innings.

11.05 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Ngidi strays down the leg and Rohit flicks it for a boundary. The ball was in the air for a while but away from the fielder and it he gets four more runs.

10.52 IST: Ajinkya Rahane is the new man in. 

10.51 IST: Nortje to Kohli, OUT! Kohli misses the line and the ball strikes his pads and South Africa appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Kohli reviews but ball tracking shows the ball is touching the ball on his way past the leg-stump. Umpires call. India retain the review but lose their captain. India 39/3 from 15.3 overs 

10.44 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Short and outside off and pulled away for a boundary through the vacant mid-wicket area

10.42 IST: Lungi Ngidi is back into the attack to replace Kagiso Rabada.

10.30 IST: Rabada to Rohit, FOUR! Bangs it short but misses the line as it goes down the leg side. Rohit tries to pull and gets some bat, just enough to get it wide of Klassen for a boundary. 3rd in 9 balls.

10.27 IST: Nortje to Kohli, FOUR! Once again strays down the leg side and flicked off his hips for a boundary.

10.25 IST: Nortje to Kohli, FOUR! Goes wide of the crease and pushes it down the leg and Kohli flicks it for a boundary. First runs of the innings for Kohli.

10.21 IST: Rabada to Rohit, NOT OUT! Ball hits the pads and umpires gives it out and Rohit straight away goes for the review. Replays show there is a huge inside edge and decision overturned. 

10.16 IST: Anrich Nortje is into the attack.

10.13 IST: Virat Kohli is the new man in.

10.12 IST: Rabada to Pujara, OUT! Ball hits the seam, jags back in and beats Pujara's defense and hits him in the back pad. Huge shout by the visitors but umpire says 'Not Out'. South Africa go for the review and ball tracking shows three reds and decision has to be reversed. India lose their second and Rabada has his second. India 16/2 from 8.3 overs

10.08 IST: Ngidi to Rohit, FOUR! Little bit of swing but Rohit manages to eke it past point for a boundary. His first of the game.

10.00 IST: Rabada to Pujara, Wraps on his pads and South Africa loud and hard but the umpire says 'NO'. Replays show the ball is going over the stumps.

09.54 IST: Cheteshwar Pujara is the new man in

09.53 IST: Rabada to Mayank, OUT! Short and extracts the edge of Mayan's bat and straight to Dean Elgar at second slip. First wicket for South Africa. India 12/1 from 5 overs

09.50 IST: Ngidi to Mayank, FOUR! Short ball and guided past slips for a boundary while opening the surface of the bat. Not in control but effective.

09.49 IST: There is variable bounce already as some balls are keeping low while others are rising chin height.

09.35 IST: Lungi Ngidi will bowl from the other end. His first game of the series.

09.33 IST: Rabada to Mayank, FOUR! Swings and takes the edge and goes through point after the fielder fails to stop it. First boundary of the Test match.

09.30 IST: HERE WE GO! The players are coming out to the field and Kagiso Rabada will bowl for South Africa while Mayank Agarwal will take strike for the hosts.

09.20 IST: 3rd Test: Local boy Shahbaz Nadeem debuts for India in Ranchi

Shahbaz Nadeem became the 296th player to play for India in the longest format of the game after he was handed the cap before the game on Saturday. [Read full story here]

09.06 IST: TEAMS:

One change for India, wholesale changes for South Africa.

India: Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami

 South Africa: Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock, Zubayr Hamza, Faf du Plessis (C), Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), George Linde, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi

09.04 IST: Faf du Plessis did get someone in to do a toss for him but in the end, India won the toss again as Temba Bavuma called wrong again.

09.02 IST: TOSS: India win toss and opt to bat.

08.58 IST: PITCH: It's a turning rack and India are therefore going with three spinners. Win toss, bat first and put runs on the board because it is going to turn and turn soon.

08.50 IST: Shahbaz Nadeem​ is all set to debut for India while George Linde will debut for South Africa

08.40 IST: Shahbaz Nadeem added to India's squad for 3rd Test against South Africa in Ranchi

The decision to add Nadeem was taken after Kuldeep Yadav complained of pain in the left shoulder on Friday. [Read full story here]

08.25 IST: Weather:

The temperature for the day is expected to hover between 24 and 28-degree Celcius throughout the day in Ranchi with a chance of thunderstorms around 11 AM in the day.

Brief preview: It would have been a dead rubber but with valuable World Test Championship points on offer, India would be eyeing victory while South Africa would be desperate for some consolation in a wretched tour when the third and final Test starts on Saturday. There are 40 points on offer and a 3-0 series whitewash, both of which India would be aiming for against the hapless visitors. [Read full preview here]