Wrap-up: Once again three Indian players will make the headlines. Virat Kohli, for his batting. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzi Chahal for their wrist spin that left South Africa batsmen looking like rabbits caught under headlights. That’s, sadly, not an exaggeration. Really not much to analyse given the similarities to how this match panned out.

On a final note:

Post-match: Man of the match is Virat Kohli...

“Didn’t start off that well, knew I had to get stuck in to give my side a chance to win. Good day, personally and as a team. With the old ball (after 30 overs) the pitch became slower, we revised the target to 280 from 330 and ended up getting 300.”

ALL OVER - South Africa 179 all out, India win by 124 runs: And that’s five wickets in five overs. Couple of handy blows by Ngidi but he’s given out LBW (not out if that was reviewed but none left) and that’s four each for Kuldeep and Chahal.

35.2 - Kuldeep gets Morris
36.1 - Chahal gets Zondo
37.3 - Kuldeep gets Phehlukwayo
38.4 - Chahal gets Tahir
39.6 - Kuldeep gets Ngidi

After 39 overs overs, SA 173/9 - CHAHAL strikes: Nine pins in a bowling alley. That’s what this batting lineup is right now. Fourth wicket in as many overs. Tahir hits a couple of boundaries and then walks back after playing a slog sweep that finds Kohli at midwicket.

After 38 overs, SA 162/8 - This is a procession now. Did we say this could end quickly when Kuldeep came on to bowl? Not to pat our backs or anything, but boy did we get that right. Another one bites the dust. Phehlukwayo was reading Kuldeep like he was made of Greek and Latin letters - and tries to slog one over the boundary - this spins away from him and takes the edge. Easy catch for Kohli.

After 37 overs, SA 156/7 - Chahal strikes now: Dear, oh dear. Zondo has had enough of this chasing business. Never seem interested anyway. Plays a rash shot, the ball is high in the air and he has already walked about 20 steps towards the pavilion before the catch is taken - true story. Rabada’s turn to look lost after that but manages a boundary to fine leg.

After 36 overs, SA 150/6 - Kuldeep strikes: Wow. You don’t even have to be an analyst or a die-hard fan or a commentator to predict that. The left arm wristy is back in action and he strikes second ball. Morris tries to sweep a full ball and basically has no clue where the ball is - did not read the flight at all.

After 35 overs, SA 149/5: A gorgeous cover drive from Morris off Bhuvi is the best thing to have happened in a while from a SA point of view.

Kohli’s done with his pacers for now, one would think, with 7 overs still to go between Chahal and Kuldeep. And on cue, here’s Kuldeep. Could end in a hurry...

After 33 overs, India 133/5 - 171 runs required from 17 overs, req’d rate 10.05

Miller caught behind. All but over here, thinks Sunny G on air. Just as we saw earlier, Miller was trying to be aggressive against the quicks and Bumrah, clever lad that he is, bowls a little short seeing Miller advance. He tries to play him on the on-side, but can only manage an inside edge - gets cut in half by that. Easy catch for Dhoni.

Morris walks in...

After 32 overs, SA 128/4: India were 186 at this stage - a clear indication of where this match stands. Pandya is getting some treatment on his back beyond the boundary rope and that’s perhaps why Bhuvi comes back in to bowl a over. Miller is showing signs of aggression against the quicks, coming down the tracks and what not - but nothing clicking at the moment for the Proteas.

After 29 overs, SA 118/4 - required rate closing in on 9: Some respite for SA batsmen (relatively) as the wrist spinners go out of the attack with 13 overs done between them. Pandya comes back and uses his cutters once again, concedes just 3. Bumrah from the other end bowls one bad ball to Miller, a short ball that is helped on its way to the boundary - a welcome one for SA.

After 25 overs, SA 102/4: Halfway through the second innings. Khaya Zondo, to be honest, doesn’t look like he wants to face any wrist spin - just about hanging in there. 100 up, for what it’s worth.

There was a report ahead of this match. The Proteas had as many as five different wrist spinners in their nets on Tuesday in a bid to stem the rot in the next match. Fair to say that has not gone well with Kuldeep 5-1-9-1 and Chahal 6-0-24-2. Still, Miller is out in the middle and if he gets going, he can quickly make those figures look not so good.

After 22 overs, SA 96/4: Duminy gone! Another LBW, another wicket for India’s wrist spinners. Chahal pitches it on off, makes it turn and its hitting leg. He reviews - oh so reluctantly - but the decision doesn’t change, in fact it’s 3 reds on hawkeye and SA have lost their review. Duminy departs on 51 and takes with him any hope SA had, one could say.

After 21 overs, SA 91/3 - 50 up for Duminy: Needs to make it at least a hundred and hope someone else stays in there to support him. They need another 213 runs to win. Miller is the new man in and he is due a big one after a bad run in this series. Two lefties in the middle now.

After 20 overs, SA 90/3 - CHAHAL STRIKES: Just as we thought, this is the phase that is decisively swinging the match in favour of India. Chahal gets into the act. Klassen fails to connect with a flick and his trapped in front. This was a regular leg break, pitching right on the leg stump and turning enough to crash into the offstump. Kuldeep from the other end is offering up a masterclass in wrist spin bowling that had Klassen guessing and double-guessing.

After 17 overs, India 79/2 - KULDEEP STRIKES: On comes Kuldeep, and gets the SA captain with the first ball he’s bowled to him. One has to question Markram’s thinking there - he had to expect the wrong ‘un, but he doesn’t, tries to walk this down to midwicket, misses the ball completely, Dhoni finishes the stumping in no time! We honestly yelled at the TV screen ‘what is Dhoni doing, why hasn’t he stumped Markram’ before realising he’s already done it. True story.

And that is also yet another milestone for MS DHONI:

After 16 overs, India 78/1: Determined batting from Markram and Duminy. Both batsmen have settled down well. They have now added 76 runs for the second wicket. Pandya and Chahal have kept it tight as well.

After 12 overs, SA 55/1: This is perhaps the stage the match will be decided. SA have managed to avoid damage in the first 10, just like they did in the first two matches and here’s where they started losing wickets in a cluster. Markram and Duminy bring up their 50-run stand even as spin is introduced in the 11th over - Chahal comes on. The ball does not have consistent turn and is creating doubt in the minds of the batsmen.

After 10 overs, SA 48/1: Pandya is into the attack in the last of the first powerplay and bowls a fantastic over to keep Markram quiet after Duminy took a single off the first ball. He mixed up the pace well in that over and it’s starting to look like the slower balls might be the way to go forward here on this track. Seven came off the previous over from Bhuvi as Duminy managed to find the third man boundary with a delicate dab.

After 8 overs, SA 40/1: Bhuvi has not been his usual self when it comes to maintaining a line and length - errs on the pads once to Duminy with the fine leg up, and JPD glances it for a four. Bumrah concedes six from the other end as Duminy, Markram settle down.

Note about the conditions: It is still nice and sunny and any advantage India might have had by bowling with the new balls under lights are now nullified.

After 6 overs, SA 28/1: SIX! & then a four....Markram taking the attack to the Indian bowlers and it’s Bhuvi at the receiving end. The six is a stunning hit really, picks a short of good length ball nice and early, front-foot-pulls it over midwicket. Follows that up with a punch through covers. SA need someone score a big knock in this innings. Can the captain emulate his opposite number?

After 4 overs, SA 15/1: Duminy (who perhaps holds the key in this run-chase now given the absence of the senior batsmen) is in at No. 3 and has got off to a good start, moving to 12 off 12 with a couple of boundaries - one each in Bumrah’s two overs. The latest is an easy-on-the-eye off drive through mid-off.

SA 6/1 after 2 overs: Amla falls early in SA’s chase of 304. What a start for India. Bumrah removes Amla with his very first ball. We saw this in the Test series and are seeing it again - Amla trapped in front by an in-dipper from Bumrah.

After 1 over, SA 1/0: Amla and captain Markram open the batting and Bhuvi has the new ball from one end. Interestingly, a deep point to Amla off the very first ball. 5 dot balls after that single.

Innings break: A bit of nostalgia for you cricket fans... be back shortly with South Africa’s chase.

Innings break: Virat Kohli is making jaws drop once again. As Harsha Bhogle says, with every century, one makes you wonder if *this* is his best.

DATA CHECK by Anand Katakam: Kohli’s scoring at an astonishing rate after becoming the captain.

After 50 overs, INDIA 303/6: VIRAT KOHLI, TAKE A BOW! Gets to 150 and finishes the innings with a magnificent pull shot for six and a thumping straight drive for four.

What a beautifully constructed ODI century this is. A 160* usually is an indicator of a batting paradise these days but good as this pitch was, most Indian batsmen struggled and it’s a testament to this man’s form that India have posted 300-plus. This is definitely par, if not above.

50th over: 150 up for Virat Kohli

After 49 overs, India 288/6: Yes, it does look like the captain was waiting for the last couple of overs. Kohli moves on to 149 and has accelerated now that a par score has been achieved. It’s a fine six in that over by Morris as he short-arm-jabs wide of long on, Miller takes a diving catch but dives into the boundary.

After 48 overs, India 276/6: Perhaps Kohli has decided getting to 280 on this pitch is better than getting out trying to score big runs. Five singles and a wide from that Rabada over after 5 singles from the Morris over.

After 47 overs, India 270/6: If SA are to win this game, they will have to rewrite the history books. The highest successful chase in Cape Town is 258. Just five runs from that Morris over but India are quietly building a total that will give SA a fight on a pitch that is slowing down, one gets the feeling.

After 46 overs, India 265/6: Bhuvi joins in the party, a slap past midoff for four. An useful over for India as Kohli stays busy with ones and twos, nine from Rabada’s over/

After 45 overs, India 256/6: Kohli has moved to 130 and this is the highest score by an Indian in South Africa in ODIS. He’s dealing in boundaries, latest a lofted punch over mid-off for a four, sensing that the field is up. Nice little partnership with Bhuvi building here. Also, SA lose a review. Bhuvneshwar gets rapped on the pads by Tahir. SA appeal for an LBW, but umpire turns it down. There’s a review but the ball is going down leg.

7:45 pm: Meanwhile (also in South Africa), a series win for India’s women in blue!

After 43 overs, India 236/6: A bit of a one-man show since Dhawan’s dismissal and that’s a shame for India’s point of view. While Kohli continues to find the boundaries with surgical precision, Jadhav throws his wicket away with a nothing shot. Guides one to Klassen’s gloves off Phehlukwayo trying to cut one to third man.

After 42 overs, India 230/5: It was a bit of a struggle for Dhoni ever since he came to bat, and his 22-ball toil comes to an end with his score on 10. HE tries to take on Tahir, but can only find soon-to-be IPL teammate Lungi Ngidi at long on.

DATA CHECK: Virat Kohli is scoring ODI centuries at a frightening pace.

After 40 overs India 223/4 - the last 10 coming up, with Kohli 108*

Stand up for the King - yet another ODI century for Virat Kohli. His 34th in ODIs, 2nd in South Africa and second in this series. Punches the air in delight and then gets down to work with a wristy flick to the boundary for four. Shastri asks him to keep batting from the dressing room and Kohli seems to be in the mood. This has been a workhorse innings but he can now tee off.

After 36 overs, India 200/4: 200 up for India. Dhoni joins Kohli in the middle. The last half hour has not quite panned out the way India would have wanted to. They will hope this pair can help them notch up a big score. Kohli is into the 90s.

After 33 overs, India 188/4 - PANDYA GONE: You could see why Pandya was promoted as he smashed Duminy over long off for six. Sensing his liking towards spinners, Markram brings back Morris into the attack and the move words. He slashes hard at a length ball outside offstump - and the outside edge carries to the keeper.

SA are slowly but steadily finding their way back into the match. Boundaries have been hard to come by and wickets have fallen at regular intervals. India have gone from 140-1 to 188-4.

After 31 overs, India 176/3: Bit of a lull for India (in terms of boundaries), given both Dhawan and Rahane fell in quick succession. Maybe that’s the thinking between sending Hardik Pandya up the order, to counterattack the spinners? (Don’t see why else though - with Dhoni being the ideal candidate to build a partnership here) Another suicidal attempt at a run. Pandya taps and runs, Duminy picks it up fast but misses the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Pandya would have been well short if it had hit.

MILESTONE ALERT: All hail Jhulan Goswami!

After 28 overs, India 161/3 - Rahane gone: Rahane holes out looking for an ill-advised big shot. Duminy gets another wicket as Phehlukwayo completes a high catch at mid on. That was a rather odd Rahane innings. Took no time to get going - 11 singles off his first 11 balls, then his first dot ball and then immediately a loose shot to get caught. “What was the need to bat to play that” screams Gavaskar on air. We hear ya, Sunny G.

After 27 overs, India 158/2 : Busy start for Rahane as he takes 10 from his 10 balls. Yet to face a dot ball. Kohli continues to rotate from the other end. This is smart middle-over cricket from these two, given a wicket just fell. A run-a-ball almost since Dhawan’s dismissal.

After 23 overs, India 145/2 - Dhawan gone! Captain Markram desperately needed a wicket, so he decides to make it happen himself with a stunning catch at midwicket. Dhawan saw an option to get another boundary through midwicket, steps down against Duminy but couldn’t quite get to the pitch of the ball - still hit with power, but Markram throws himself to his left and takes a two-handed beaut. Gavaskar is convinced Dhawan has thrown away a ton here (again)

After 23 overs, India 140/1 - FIFTY FOR KOHLI: And it’s now Kohli’s turn to raise his bat in acknowledgement of what has been a solid innings so far. Gets there in the 22nd over. Didn’t have the best of starts against Rabada but hasn’t done much wrong since. Markram brings JP Duminy into the attack as the batsmen wear their caps. Tahir continues and Kohli celebrates his 50 with a rasping bottom-hand heavy on drive for four - the long on fielder had no chance of stopping that.

After 20 overs, India 118/1: Dhawan is batting with great confidence. Ngidi comes back into the attack and continues to concede a boundary every over - he has conceded 47 from his 6 overs so far. And the 100-run partnership has been achieved by these two as well, as they are yet to be dismissed from Sunday afternoon.

After 17 overs, India 97/1: Fifty for Dhawan. Brings it up with a fine boundary off Tahir. His second successive half-century in this series. He signals his intent to take on Tahir right away, with another boundary after reaching his 50 - this one a slog sweep over midwicket. Has pieced together a solid stand with Kohli for the second wicket.

Drinks - India 87/1 after 16 overs: Shikhar bhai has raced to 47 off 40 balls, and this time it’s Morris who helps him along the way with a short ball on his hips that the Delhi lad pulls past fine leg for four. South Africa have lost any momentum that was built by that initial burst by Rabada.

After 15 overs, India 79/1: Looks like India will target Phehlukwayo today (as they did Ngidi earlier) - 10 from the former’s 3rd over in the spell, making it 22 off his first 3 overs. Dhawan shows great intent even after the powerplay, by stepping down and targeting the vacant midwicket area - a couple of bounces into the boundary. There were 10 runs off his second over as well, with Dhawan punishing a bad short ball. The southpaw is into his 40s.

Meanwhile, Rohit has been having a bad time in SA for a few years now, but there have been other Indian batsmen as well, who too struggled to score in certain countries.

After 12 overs, India 57/1: Another suicidal run for this Kohli-Dhawan pair. After a few dot balls, Kohli gets itchy feet, taps and calls for a run. Dhawan complies, but would have been out by a fair distance if the fielder had hit the stumps. Dhawan is clearly upset, but he survives. Did someone else catch Kohli looking at Dhawan and asking him why he didn’t run for an overthrow when Dhawan should have been run out again? That would not have gone down well.

After 10 overs, India 50/1: With Rohit gone in the first over for zero and Kohli given out on zero - it looked like India were in for a difficult afternoon, but ever since that DRS review, the batsmen have settled down nicely. Fifty up (for India and for the partnership) and these two are yet to be dismissed since Rohit Sharma’s dismissal at Centurion. Kohli continues to look just a little edgy, this time an inside edge off Morris to the fine leg boundary - on another day, that would have crashed into the stumps.

After 9 overs, India 44/1 - Kohli 19, Dhawan 24 : Kohli has faced 30 balls, Dhawan just 19 but it’s the left hander who’s doing bulk of the scoring. 10 runs from Ngidi’s latest over and that might be it for the debutant for now. Kohli plays a cover drive which is more of a forward defensive push and Dhawan punches to the cover point for two boundaries in that over. Dhawan takes on Rabada in the next over when there is just a hint of width.

Meanwhile a fantastic effort by Mithali Raj and Co!

India 29/1 after 7 overs (Dhawan 15, Kohli 13) : The two men who had an unbeaten partnership in the second ODI are carrying on at Newlands. Ngidi is struggling a bit with line and length - is clearly extracting a lot of bounce off this pitch, with Kohli hopping at the crease to defend the short balls, but bowls one on the pads that is flicked to the boundary with ease. Just one run from Rabada’s over at the other end. He has been the stand-out bowler so far (4-1-10-1). Has bowled tight and kept the Indian batsmen in check. Dismissed Rohit and came close to sending Kohli back on zero. Almost has Dhawan in that over, with an edge going between slip and gully.

After 5 overs, India 23/1: There is a battle brewing between Rabada and Kohli once again as Virat smashes the pacer for a four - a majestic pull shot. This was a short ball and not a bouncer and Kohli is on to it in a flash. He read the length so quickly on that one and pulls with disdain off his front foot.

After 3 overs, India 8/1 - Virat Kohli is gone....no he is not: WHAT A START TO THIS MATCH! Kohli moves across to Rabada and tries to flick, is hit on the pad and Gould takes his time and decides this appeal is good. Rabada stares down Kohli in an attempted send off - Kohli takes his time and reviews this. Looks plumb but... hang on... he’s got an inside edge! Not too sure if Kohli knew he edged it. Rabada trudges back to his runup after a chat with Kohli and Gould, the umpire shakes his head. And to Rabada’s bemusement, Kohli gets a boundary off the last ball of the over.

After 2 overs, India 4/1: Not a ball to remember first up for Lungi Ngidi in ODIs, as he bowls a gentle half volley to Dhawan who guides it past cover for four. Good recovery since, finishes with a bouncer that has Dhawan in a tangle.

Meanwhile, Rohit’s woes continue...

MAIDEN WICKET FOR RABADA: What a start for South Africa! Their main man Kagiso strikes with the last ball off what was a gem of a first over. The wicket ball was pitched on the fourth stump line, on good length - Rohit’s tentative to start and he plays at it and then decides to leave but the pace makes sure the ball kisses the bat before Rohit changes his mind. A feather touch and Klassen takes his first international catch.

04:30 pm: We are all set. Rabada steaming in, Rohit on strike...

Pitch report

04:20 pm: Neil McKenzie reckons this Newlands track is full of runs (like it usually is - the average first innings score in the last six ODIs here is more than 300) and the pace of the pitch should make it relatively easier for the South African batsman to counter the spin twins, who wreaked havoc in the slow-ish pitches in the first two matches.

04:15 pm: Meanwhile, Mandhana makes merry...

Playing XI

04:05 pm: No surprises that India have named an unchanged XI (even if the captain is Kohli). Two debutants and three changes for South Africa.

TOSS

04:00 pm: Aiden Markram, the young captain thrown in the deep end, wins the toss in this important clash, and decides to not let Virat Kohli chase. We would have looked to bat first to change things up anyway, remarks Kohli.

03:55 pm: It’s not just Virat Kohli’s men who are chasing an unassailable series lead today on South African soil - Mithali Raj and Co can win their 3-match series 2-0 and they are off to a fantastic start in that regard. We’ll be providing regular updates of that game here.

03:50 pm: As we wait for the toss at Newlands, here’s some cool data analysis by Anand Katakam, on how only a fraction of U-19 players have made it big for India. As Rahul Dravid has been saying, the 4th World Cup title is just the beginning for these kids...

Read the full copy here:

03:40 pm: If India are the ones setting the pace in this ODI series, dominating the hosts like (arguably) no other visiting Indian team has done before, then it won’t be an exaggeration to say it’s down to two men - Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The latest spin twins have bamboozled the No. 1 ranked ODI side in the world in their own backyard.

Here’s Kushal Phatarpekar on India’s newest ODI weapons.

03:30 pm: Hello all and welcome to the live blog of the third One Day International between India and South Africa. Who would’ve thought it’d be South Africa who would be fighting to stay alive in this series at this point, eh? And yet, here we are with India leading 2-0 and looking to push their advantage. We are back at Newlands after the first Test for this decisive match.