INDIA SHATTERS SOUTHAFRICA'S 9 YEAR AWAY RECORD

South Africa 79, 185-all out (89.5 Ovs)

Harmer  8 (24)

India 173 & 215

Ashwin  29.5-7-66-7

India won by 124 runs

Ashwin's 12 for 98 helps India beat South Africa by 124 runs in Nagpur to register an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. © cricketonline.org

Four completed innings and we haven't seen even a half-century in the game tells you exactly how bowlers dominated this contest. Well, that has been the story of the series so far. One can only hope the pitch in Feroze Shah Kotla will be better. The teams have two extra days to prepare and while India can afford to take a day off, South Africa have a lot to figure out if they want to end the series on a winning note. Join us on December 3 for the first day of the fourth and final Test. Till then, its good bye

Virat, in his post-match presentation, praised Ashwin lavishly for playing a key role in India's series win: 

Ashwin is the Man of the MatchThe team members rush to Ashwin to congratulate him for his phenomenal effort. 12 wickets for 98 and that also officially ends South Africa's nine-year unbeaten streak while touring.

Not many expected South African batsman to stretch the game to the third session. India needed eight wickets and South Africa lost the first two quite quickly. However, the application Amla and Faf showed since then frustrated the team and the spectators equally. Kohli shuffled his bowlers frantically for the next two hours before Amit Mishra put an end to Amla's resistance, thereby ending his 72-run stand with du Plessis the highest partnership of the game! Faf departed in the next over from Mishra before Ashwin returned for another spell, picking up four wickets in quick succession to script an unbeatable series lead for his team.

Game over!: India take 2-0 series lead with 124-run victory in NagpurIt's all over! And its only fitting that Ashwin has picked up the last wicket. Seven-for in this innings, five in the previous - this has been Ashwin's game by far.

Amla and Faf delayed the inevitable with a defiant 72-run stand for the fifth wicket, much to the frustration of the Indian team and fans. However, once Amit Mishra dismissed the duo, both on 39, it was only a matter of time India scripted another win to take the series.

WICKET: Nine down, one more to goEdged and taken by Kohli in gully. Ashwin picks up his sixth in this innings and 11th of the game. Rabada walks back and the unassailable 2-0 series lead is now one wicket away.

Twin strikes: SA slip further as Duminy, Vilas departWelcome back Ashwin! Another blow for the visitors. Ashwin is brought back into the attack and the spinner strikes with his very first ball. And what a crucial one this JP Duminy has to walk back and with that ends South Africa's hopes of saving this game. Oh well, here is another. Two wickets in an over for Ashwin, his second five-for in the game! Vilas follows Duminy and South Africa have officially lost their top and middle order. How long do you reckon before India wrap up their tail for a series win?

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Tea time: SA 151-6 at Tea on Day 3The umpires call for Tea.

The scorecard might just reflect that South Africa have lost only a couple of wickets in this session, but what it might not reflect is the deep trouble they are in.

Amla and Faf du Plessis negotiated the first hour of the post-Lunch session very well, showed a lot of character by playing the ball on its merit. Desperate for a breakthrough, Kohli shuffled his bowlers more often than required and it was Mishra who eventually broke the 72-run stand between the two set batsmen.

South Africa had barely recovered from the wicket before Mishra wrapped up another brilliant over with Faf's wicket to push Proteas on the backfoot. At Tea, South Africa are 151 for 6, with an improbable 159 more to get. Duminy would be key to South Africa's chances.

Join us back in 15 minutes to find out how the final sesion on Day 3 pans out.

OUT: Mishra gets Amla, Faf in quick successionOh well, I did jinx it! Mishra has taken out both the set batsmen now. Faf du Plessis falls for 39 as well. South Africa have lost both their key batsmen in successive overs and this game has been thrown wide open once again. The pressure is back on South Africa. The visitors starring at defeat once again. Only a JP Duminy special can save them here.

It took Amla and du Plessis over a couple of hours of hard work and determination to build their confidence and just a couple of overs from Mishra has dramatically turned things around for the hosts. Test cricket is indeed a funny game!

WICKET: Amla falls for 39A breakthrough finally! And what an important wicket this. Amit Mishra has put an end to Hashim Amla's gutsy knock. Just 39 runs but what a crucial, crucial knock he has played to bail his team out.

Interestingly, Murali Vijay's 40 still stands as the highest individual score in this game so far. Faf, and I'm not trying to jinx this, is still five away.

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Drinks break: Amla, Faf dig inIndia go wicket-less in the first hour after Lunch. Now that's a first! Certainly not good signs for the hosts. South Africa have added only 21 runs in the 19 overs bowled but they won't be complaining. The way Amla and Faf du Plessis have batted, don't think one can completely rule South Africa out of this game. Not just yet.

Bowling change, Ishant is back on.

Tweet: Some praise for Amla from the opposition camp

We're back: SA resume from 105-2 in post-Lunch sessionRight, we're back! Ishant Sharma is not on the field and KL Rahul is the substitute fielder. Alma and Faf walk out and Kohli has handed the ball Ashwin. Rightly so, maiden over to begin with.

Lunch: SA 105-4 at Lunch on Day 3So that ends the morning session in Nagpur. South Africa have done far, far better than what most expected of them. 73 runs for the loss of two wickets, a shared session for both the teams.

After a 20-wicket day yesterday, South Africa have recovered quite okay on the third morning in Nagpur. Ashwin struck early to send back Dean Elgar back without adding much to his overnight score. AB de Villiers was outfoxed by a carom ball on 9. But Alma and Faf du Plessis have since then added 47 runs for the fifth wicket partnership and shown that if you play the ball to its merit, batting isn't that difficult. Phenomenal technique and determination from the two experienced batsmen - just the kind of fightback a South African fan would have wanted to see from his team.

Kohli looked a little panicked towards the end of that session, making some frantic bowling changes. Quite contrary to yesterday, Jadeja has looked ineffective. The pitch looks a little settled for batting but South Africa have another 205 to get with six wickets in hand. Can Faf and Amla do the impossible.

Sigh: Lucky escape for Amla, du PlessisAmla and Faf du Plessis have both been lucky that the edge from their bat did not carry to the fielders. Amla survived on 19 as the ball fell right in front of Rahane in the slips, while a thick outside edge from Faf's bat was too far wide for Saha, pierced the gap between the keeper and first slip and hit the fence.

ashwin(15--35-3) has been India's best bowler in the morning session on Day 3 of the Nagpur Test.

Drinks break: SA 71-2, chasing 31039 runs at the cost of two wickets in the first hour - South Africa have fared far better this morning than their performance yesterday. Ashwin picking up both the wickets - Elgar and the big man AB de Villiers. How will the next hour of the morning session pan out for the visitors? A lot will depend on their skipper Hashim Amla who is still out in the middle, anchoring the innings. A lesson in batting for the batsmen yet to come.

WICKET: ABD falls cheaplyAnd it's started. Here is another wicket. Carom ball from Ashwin, pitched on off, turns a tad bit away from the batsman who misses it, hits ABD right in front. Absolutely plumb, and the umpire takes no time to raise the finger. And the crowd goes berserk. Welldone tall man! Four down, six more to go for India to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Welcome: Loud cheers for ABDThe crowd gets vocal, meanwhile, as one of India's favourite overseas player AB de Villiers walks out to bat. He made a duck in the first innings. Can he play his natural game today to save the day for his team?

Bowling change and Jadeja comes on to end Ishant's short spell.

OUT: Ashwin takes out ElgarTwo close-in fielders - a silly point and a short mid-off, apart from the two slips and Elgar goes for an expansive slog sweep over midwicket for maximum and Ashwin is certainly not impressed. The bowler gets his revenge though. Pitched ont he middle, inside edge and goes straight to Pujara at silly point. Loud appeal from the bowler and Elgar knew it almost instantly that he will have to walk back. Umpire raises his finger eventually and South Africa lose an early wicket again.

Let's go!: SA resume chase from 32 for 2Hashim Amla and Dean Elgar walk out in the middle to resume South Africa's chase. Kohli have decided to start the proceedings with Ishant Sharma and not a spinner. Maiden over to begin with and we have Ashwin from the other end. Let's see how that goes.

Build-up: Hello and welcome to Day 3 of the Nagpur Test.

South Africa were in all sorts of trouble when stumps were called on day two - a day that saw 20 wickets fall. While South Africa need an unlikely 278 runs to win, India need just about another eight wickets. Given how the visitors have capitulated against the spin of the home side, it doesn't seem like a lofty task.

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written by ~ CHARITHARDHA