CAPE TOWN: Indian skipper Virat Kohli and No 3 Cheteshwar Pujara have been a "bit of a headache" for South Africa and the team will look to get them early on day 3 of the series-deciding third Test, said Proteas batter Keegan Petersen on Wednesday.
India lost both their openers cheaply once again in the second innings but Pujara (9) and Kohli (14) thereafter took charge of the proceedings and saw through the second day to take their overall lead to 70 runs.
"The key would be to pick up a few early wickets tomorrow morning... The two batting now have been a bit of a headache for us in the last couple of innings," Petersen said in the media interaction after the end of day two's proceedings.
In the first innings, Kohli top-scored with a well-crafted 79 off 201 balls, while Pujara gave a fine assistance with a 77-ball 43 to steady the proceedings after KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were dismissed early.
"He's (Kohli) one of the best batters in the world and he's shown that time and again. Yes, he will be the big wicket tomorrow and if we can get his wicket early, it will open up the game."
Petersen, who hit 72 off 166 balls, was the top scorer for the home side as they were dismissed by India for 210, conceding a 13-run first innings lead.
"We would have been happy if we overcame the deficit and got a bit of a lead. That was the plan coming into the game today," he said.
1/8:Bumrah stars as India bowl out SA for 210
<p>Jasprit Bumrah took 5-42 as India bowled South Africa out for 210 and then drove home their advantage with the bat as they ended day two of the decisive third and final Test on 57 for two in their second innings at Newlands on Wednesday. (Reuters Photo)</p>
2/8:India extend their lead to 70 on Day 2
<p>India’s lead is 70, already a sizeable one on a difficult, seaming wicket that is offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers and has seen 22 wickets fall on the opening two days of the contest. (AFP Photo)</p>
3/8:Kohli-Pujara hold key for India
<p>Captain Virat Kohli is not out 14 in an unbeaten partnership of 33 with Cheteshwar Pujara (9) and they will attempt to take the game away from the home team on the third morning as they chase a first ever series win in South Africa. (AFP Photo)</p>
4/8:India lose openers cheaply
<p>Both openers were dismissed as Mayank Agarwal (7) was caught by Dean Elgar off Kagiso Rabada and KL Rahul (10) was grabbed by Aiden Markram at slip from the bowling of Marco Jansen. (Reuters Photo)</p>
5/8:Bumrah rules the red cherry
<p>Bumrah gave a masterclass of seam bowling in the South African innings as he got the ball to move both ways and at times leap off the surface. (Reuters Photo)</p>
6/8:Petersen scores career-best 72
<p>Keegan Petersen scored a career-best 72 for the home side but played almost a lone hand in the innings with the next highest score being Temba Bavuma’s 28. (Reuters Photo)</p>
7/8:Bumrah ends Petersen's long vigil
<p>Pet<strong></strong>ersen, in just his fifth Test, showed admirable patience as he batted for 166 balls before becoming the fourth victim for Bumrah when he edged to Pujara at slip. (AFP Photo)</p>
8/8:Shami's twin-strike rattles SA
<p>Mohammed Shami (2-39), Umesh Yadav (2-64) and Shardul Thakur (1-37) were also among the wicket-takers for the tourists. The series is level at 1-1 after India won the first Test in Pretoria by 113 runs, before South Africa bounced back to claim the second in Johannesburg by seven wickets. (AFP Photo)</p>Indian attack most challenging in my career
Petersen brought up his second fifty of the series on Wednesday against some top class Indian pace bowling.
The 28-year-old led South Africa's fightback after Jasprit Bumrah removed the openers early in the series-deciding third Test.
"It's (the Indian pace attack) extremely challenging. It's the most challenging I've had in my whole career. You have to be focused and on your mark all the time or else they will expose you.
"They test you in terms of scoring, there's not much of scoring opportunities. They have not given us much. They are arguably one of the best bowling attacks in the world. We knew that coming into the series, it's been challenging, we just got to deal with it," Petersen said.
On missing out on a century for the second time in the series, he said: "To be honest, it's not lack of trying. It's just eluding us at the moment. Yes, I got close but let the team down by not getting there. But I think it will come eventually."
