The third day of the Johannesburg test match between India and South Africa was expected to be keenly fought between the two sides.
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India had shaded the previous two days, as Virat Kohli’s men were in a strong position heading into the third day. While the pitch was expected to assist the bowlers, no one could have expected the ball Wanderers pitch to spit fire throughout the first session.
South Africa started really well, as Morkel and Philander picked up early wickets to put India on the back foot early on. It took Vijay’s resolute defense and Kohli’s brilliance to put together a partnership, as the pair steered India towards 100.
Both batsman suffered blows to their fingers, as the ball jumped off a good length and crash into their bodies. The umpires had to stop play, and asked both captains if they wanted to continue.
Eventually they continued, but not without doubts lingering over the state of the pitch.
Here are the best tweets as people started complaining about the Wanderers pitch on social media!
Why only Criticise&Scrutinise Indian Pitches? This Joburg Pitch Is Unfit To Play..Dangerous Pitch to play any further Cricket #AskTheExpert #SAvIND
— Rajat Agarwal (@rajat0512) January 26, 2018
To all the Indian Fans let me clear your doubts.
1. Pitch is repaired after consulting both the captains
2. Umpires can only ask the captains to call off the game. They cannot voluntarily cancel the game. #IndvsSA #SAvIND #ProteaFire #FreedomSeries pic.twitter.com/7LnH8aFus1— CricGIF (@Cricket_GIF) January 26, 2018
Okay to the end the pitch is fine ! No danger where body guards and okay the match ! There is no danger . This isn't rugby 🏉 #SAvIND
— kashif farid (@kashif670) January 26, 2018
Graeme Smith says that the top surface of the pitch is surprisingly crumbly that’s causing all the trouble. The line of the cracks is such you have to play. Bowlers capable of bowling 140+ . Every chance of getting hit #SAvInd
— Kaushik Rangarajan (@kaushik_cb) January 26, 2018
Dangerous Pitch conditions! No matter what, it’s a disgraceful pitch. #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/UTwege1Qtu
— Nikhil Mane 🏏🇦🇺 (@nikhiltait) January 26, 2018
Danger inherent in pitch summed up by Sunil Gavaskar “all you can do as a batsman is pray!”
Pitch getting all the scrutiny at lunch here which is a great pity. Consensus batting last on this deck will be not only impossible but v. dangerous.#SAvIND #nowwerecooking #ProteaFire— Sunfoil Cricket (@SunfoilCricket) January 26, 2018
We've already lost our 4 wickets.. Any repairs now will give South African Batsmen a huge advantage! Who is allowing this! This is unfair! #SAvIND #INDvSA https://t.co/6T01LN78GN
— Shantanu (@ShantzTH) January 26, 2018
South Africa kept cribbing about pitches in India and this is what they do. Idiotic. At least players weren’t getting injured here. @ICC ??
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 26, 2018
Michael Holding gives this pitch 2 on 100 and he is spot on. This is nonsense. Unfair game. Is the @ICC listening? People can get hurt.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 26, 2018
They are continuing for now. The umpires seem just about content but the road ahead looks tough with the pitch playing the way it has been so far #SAvIND
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) January 26, 2018
Funny how Indian commentators are calling the Wanderers pitch 'treacherous.' Conveniently forgetting the raging turners India produced last time South Africa toured there as well as the pitches in the 'record breaking' 2017 home season!#25saalkahisaab #SAvIND
— Emmad Hameed (@Emmad81) January 26, 2018
If India at home wanted to doctor the pitch.
SA at home surely want a doctor on the pitch.#SAvIND— Nikhil Naz (@NikhilNaz) January 26, 2018
Scratch the ‘pitch not as spicy anymore’ bit please. 🙈
It’s a minefield of a different kind. If Pune and Nagpur were doctored, this one is too. Without doubt. #SAvIND— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 26, 2018
Very naughty pitch but so far India have found a way to survive. Umpires have begun looking at it closely
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 26, 2018
A dust bowl like Pune doesn’t get better with time. But it doesn’t present a physical danger.
Pitches like the one at Jo’burg ‘might’ get better with time…but also, threaten player safety. #SAvIND— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 26, 2018
Expect the pitch to dominate all post mortems of this series. This latest gem is getting more and more dangerous, and India – and even South African batsmen – have every right to feel aggrieved. It's not quite cricket anymore. Excessive? That is an understatement. #SAvInd
— Lungani Zama (@whamzam17) January 26, 2018
