Kolkata, Nov 16 (NationPress) In the ongoing first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, India has unfortunately lost their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, while chasing a target of 124, reaching 10/2 after 7 overs at lunch on day three.

Initially, India appeared to have the upper hand, aiming to take control of the match. However, South Africa gained momentum by contributing 60 crucial runs, with skipper Temba Bavuma remaining not out at 55, before being bowled out for 153 in their second innings.

Fast bowler Marco Jansen quickly dismissed both Jaiswal and Rahul, leaving Washington Sundar (five not out) and Dhruv Jurel (four not out) to navigate a tense 4.5 overs before the lunch break, which ended in favor of the visitors.

Additionally, India's challenges are compounded as they are effectively three wickets down due to Shubman Gill's absence caused by a freak neck injury sustained on day two.

The chase for 124 started on a precarious note, with Jansen catching Jaiswal off guard with a length ball that resulted in an edge to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, dismissing him for a duck. In the following over, Jansen surprised Rahul with extra bounce, resulting in another catch to Verreynne.

Facing Jansen's disciplined bowling alongside off-spinner Simon Harmer, Jurel and Sundar encountered tense moments leading up to lunch. India still needs 114 runs and will require a composed approach, efficient strike rotation, and occasional boundaries to avoid becoming part of a list of low-scoring unsuccessful chases.

If they successfully chase down 124, it will establish a new record for the highest successful chase in Test history at Eden Gardens.

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj concluded South Africa's innings by claiming the last three wickets. For South Africa, Bavuma, who was the first to score a half-century in this match, and Bosch contributed significantly, pushing the lead from 63 to 123 through a pivotal 44-run partnership on a challenging pitch.

Starting from a score of 93/7, Bavuma and Bosch worked hard to add essential runs against Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja. Bosch executed a sweep for four runs against Jadeja and managed to score singles, while Bavuma provided stability from the other end, accumulating 27 runs in the first half-hour.

Bavuma's confidence grew as he defended well with soft hands, while Bosch successfully swept and reverse-swept Kuldeep Yadav for four and six runs respectively, before Bumrah's delivery rattled his off-stump.

With composed and risk-free batting, Bavuma reached the first half-century of the Test with a streaky four to fine leg, marking his seventh fifty-plus score in his last 11 Tests, which was met with warm applause from the crowd.

Siraj then made a significant impact, sending Simon Harmer's off-stump flying with a length delivery before trapping Keshav Maharaj lbw with a yorker. Throughout this, Bavuma remained unbeaten on 55, ensuring South Africa's bowlers had a respectable total to defend in a session dominated by the Proteas.

Brief Scores: South Africa 159 and 153 in 54 overs (Temba Bavuma 55 not out, Corbin Bosch 25; Ravindra Jadeja 4-50, Mohammed Siraj 2-2) lead India 189 and 10/2 in seven overs (Washington Sundar five not out; Marco Jansen 2-8) by 114 runs