India captain Virat Kohli played a lone hand with 79 as the tourists were bowled out for 223 on the first day of the decisive third and final test against South Africa at Newlands yesterday.  
 The home side had made 17 for one in reply at the close.  

 Kohli’s form had been under the microscope as he returned from injury on Tuesday, but he compiled his highest score in 26 innings since he got a hundred against Bangladesh in November 2019 to lead India to a respectable first innings score.  

 Aiden Markram (8 not out) and nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj (6 not out) will now look to make inroads into South Africa’s deficit on the second morning. India claimed the key scalp of in-from South African captain Dean Elgar for 3 runs 15 minutes before the close as he edged seamer Jasprit Bumrah to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip, meaning there would be no repeat of his 96 not out that steered the home side to victory in the second test in Johannesburg. 

- REUTERS

Chief Scores
India: 223 in 77.3 overs (C. Pujara 43, V. Kholi 79, K. Rabada 4/73, M. Jansen 3/55, K. Maharaj 1/14, L. Ngidi 1/33, D. Olivier 1/42)
South Africa: 17/1 in  8 overs