<p> India were in a good position despite being bowled out for 187, Cheteshwar Pujara said after the first day of the third and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday.<br /><br />In reply, South Africa were six for one at the close.<br /><br />"It is one of the toughest pitches I have batted on," said Pujara, who battled for 261 minutes and faced 179 balls in making 50.<br /><br />"The total we have is as good as scoring 300 on any (other) wicket."<br /><br />Indian captain Virat Kohli, who took the bold decision to bat first in overcast conditions on a well-grassed pitch, made 54 in contrasting style to Pujara, dominating a third wicket stand of 84 with his teammate.<br /><br />He struck nine boundaries in a 106-ball innings.<br /><br />Pujara admitted that he was unable to match Kohli's fluency.<br /><br />"I don't think any other batsman could bat like that. He's in form having made a hundred in the last game and he was timing the ball really well." he said.<br /><br />He also backed Kohli's decision to bat first.<br /><br />"If our bowlers bowl well we have a very good chance," he said. "This wicket will be very difficult to bat on. The cracks are opening up and a couple of balls are deviating a lot. As the game progresses, we will see uneven bounce so that's the reason we batted first."<br /><br />It took Pujara 54 balls to score his first run on Wednesday.<br /><br />"You need to take your time, you need to get used to the bounce, get used to the lateral movement," he said. "It was difficult for me earlier on."<br /><br />South Africa picked a five-pronged pace attack, bringing in all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo for left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, and the Indian batsmen were under pressure all day on a pitch which offered pace and sideways movement.<br /><br />Phehlukwayo justified his selection by taking two for 25, including producing the ball that ended Pujara's dismissal. It seemed Pujara intended to leave a ball which seamed in just enough to catch the edge of his bat and present wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock with one of his five catches.<br /><br />Phehlukwayo acknowledged that it was a good pitch to bowl on and agreed with Pujara that cracks were opening up.<br /><br />"One ball really deviated and it will go up and down. It is already going up and down from a length," he said.<br /><br />But Phehlukwayo said he expected the South African batsmen to take a positive attitude.</p>
<p> India were in a good position despite being bowled out for 187, Cheteshwar Pujara said after the first day of the third and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday.<br /><br />In reply, South Africa were six for one at the close.<br /><br />"It is one of the toughest pitches I have batted on," said Pujara, who battled for 261 minutes and faced 179 balls in making 50.<br /><br />"The total we have is as good as scoring 300 on any (other) wicket."<br /><br />Indian captain Virat Kohli, who took the bold decision to bat first in overcast conditions on a well-grassed pitch, made 54 in contrasting style to Pujara, dominating a third wicket stand of 84 with his teammate.<br /><br />He struck nine boundaries in a 106-ball innings.<br /><br />Pujara admitted that he was unable to match Kohli's fluency.<br /><br />"I don't think any other batsman could bat like that. He's in form having made a hundred in the last game and he was timing the ball really well." he said.<br /><br />He also backed Kohli's decision to bat first.<br /><br />"If our bowlers bowl well we have a very good chance," he said. "This wicket will be very difficult to bat on. The cracks are opening up and a couple of balls are deviating a lot. As the game progresses, we will see uneven bounce so that's the reason we batted first."<br /><br />It took Pujara 54 balls to score his first run on Wednesday.<br /><br />"You need to take your time, you need to get used to the bounce, get used to the lateral movement," he said. "It was difficult for me earlier on."<br /><br />South Africa picked a five-pronged pace attack, bringing in all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo for left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, and the Indian batsmen were under pressure all day on a pitch which offered pace and sideways movement.<br /><br />Phehlukwayo justified his selection by taking two for 25, including producing the ball that ended Pujara's dismissal. It seemed Pujara intended to leave a ball which seamed in just enough to catch the edge of his bat and present wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock with one of his five catches.<br /><br />Phehlukwayo acknowledged that it was a good pitch to bowl on and agreed with Pujara that cracks were opening up.<br /><br />"One ball really deviated and it will go up and down. It is already going up and down from a length," he said.<br /><br />But Phehlukwayo said he expected the South African batsmen to take a positive attitude.</p>