India's hopes get minor boost as rain washes out third day's play in first Test against South Africa

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  • Intermittent showers throughout the day played spoilsport.
    Play was washed out on the third day of the first Test between South Africa and India in Cape Town.

    Persistent rain throughout the day at Newlands prevented a ball being bowled on Sunday, halting South Africa’s progress in the opening Test of the three-match series.

    The final two days are forecast to be dry as the top two teams in the ICC Test rankings face off.

    Faf du Plessis’ men remain stranded at 65-2 with an overall lead of 142 in their second innings with two days to go in the Test.

    Kagiso Rabada and Hashim Amla will continue for the hosts when they come out to bat on Monday morning.

    With 22 wickets falling in the opening two days and a much positive weather forecast for the fourth day, a result still seems highly likely in this thriller of a Test between the world’s two top-ranked sides.

    South Africa’s highly touted pace battery decimated the Indian top-order but a fighting counter-attacking knock of 93 by young all-rounder Hardik Pandya on the second day has given Virat Kohli’s men a glimmer of hope in the first Test.

    With Proteas pacer Dale Steyn breaking down in his return to Test cricket after over a year out with a shoulder injury, the Proteas attack will be one bowler short when they come out to bowl in the final innings.

    Steyn has been ruled out for the rest of the match and faces the prospect of missing the rest of the three-match series in an unfortunate return to international cricket.

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