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Batting to become even tougher at Wanderers

Johannesburg - In all three of the Test matches between South Africa and India this summer, the pitches have been hot topics of discussion. 

The first Test was over in nine sessions on a green Newlands strip, while the wicket at Centurion for the second Test angered the Proteas with its lack of assistance for the seamers. 

The Wanderers pitch, meanwhile, is giving the fast bowlers everything they could possibly wish for and on day one 11 wickets fell. 

India had won the toss and batted first - a decision that Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was more than happy with. 

While there was resistance in the form of Cheteshwar Pujara (50) and Virat Kohli (54), India were bowled out for 187 as the Proteas took control of the match. 

The hosts did lose Aiden Markram before the close of play, though, and India will be feeling that they are well in this contest. 

Pujara, who took 54 balls to get off the mark on Wednesday, explained Kohli's decision to bat first and the logic does not spell good news for the batsmen in this contest.

"This wicket, as the game progresses, we are sure that it will be difficult to bat on," he said.

"As we saw in the later stages of the day, the cracks are opening up and a couple of balls deviated a lot. I haven’t seen deviation like that.

"As the game progresses I think this wicket will have variable bounce and the cracks will open up. It will be difficult to bat on."

Pujara believes that India's first innings total was worth 300 on any other ground, while he also believes that India can bowl out South Africa for 150 or less on day two.

"I never felt like I was in on this wicket," he said.

"If someone scores a hundred it will be a brilliant knock."

Proteas allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo, meanwhile, is also expecting batting to become even more difficult as the Test progresses.

"I think on day four and five it will be quite difficult to bat," Phehlukwayo said.

"There is obviously a crack … and it will go up and down from a length. If we post a good first innings score I think it will be a really good game."

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