South Africa vs Australia, 4th Test, Australia tour of South Africa, 2018 - CommentaryRSA vs AUS, 4th Test, Australia tour of South Africa, 2018 - Commentary

Harsha Bhogle: South Africa must be on top of the world. And deservedly so. A win over Australia is always special for them and this was destruction.

Stewart: It is extremely hard being an Aussie cricket fan at the moment, it is just going from bad to worse.

Harsha Bhogle: What is happening in Johannesburg!! Amazing how issues can affect a side.

Kamal Nainwal: I just want to know what Philander ate today.

Gurunath: Philander looking to wrap this early, Faf must give the ball to Morkel for his last journey in Test cricket....

Archit: Now I feel like SA should have continued their batting for another session, because I don't know what to do for rest of the day! Sadly, no blockathon from Aussies today.

Furqan: I hope Morket gets a chance to take a wicket or two from here. Seems like Philander won't spare any.

Lord Buckethead: Such a shame that Australia's two most important batsmen get to play together when 6 wickets are down.

Prabhat: How is weather? Any chance of rain? 'At this rate, the Test might be over before it starts to rain'

Sushil: So both the test matches started with a wicket of 1st ball (Earlier NZ vs Eng - Broad taking Jeet's wicket)

Sampath: Morkel is retiring only from Test Cricket or from entire cricket? 'Just from international cricket, has signed a Kolpak deal with Surrey'

SJ: Never seen Aussies shoulders sagging as they walked for tea. Must have been a miserable feeling for them. Post this tour, I am convinced CA will have to make drastic changes in their culture. A new cricket order in the making and rightly so.

Partiush: @Gurunath, you are playing with 4 bowlers and out of them two are injured. You are leading 2-1(nearly won the series for first time since readmission), best thing is BAT, BAT & BAT

Gurunath: "Imagine if this Test match ends in a draw with 2 wickets needed for a win for SA." -- Imagine if South Africa keep batting..

Shashi: South Africa should wait for Bavuma to score a hundred and then declare. He missed it in the first innings.

Aman: Two things beyond me to understand: 1. Why Faf isn't declaring yet? 2. Why Cummins doesn't get the new ball?

Jordon: "@Anant, I think Faf is actually helping Australia. But yes, neither of them are helping CSK"

Anant: "Faf hurting Australia. Australia hurting Chennai."

Mohammad Abbas: "I think this total is fair enough for Australia to get bowled out twice."

Rahul: "@DS : They can use part timers like Elgar or Markram. Spin is having impact in this game and Elgar has got Smith previously in this series."

Kamui: "Faf has played positively in this innings. Positivity becomes a very important trait when you are out of form."

DS: "@rahul SA were playing five frontline bowlers when dale got injured. however they have only four in this match."

Nate: "I really wish there would some changes in the Australian batting order. Skipper should bat at No 3 at least."

Rahul: "SA has done well when Dale was out in first game against India. So nothing much should concern if other bowlers are accurate."

KD: "Opportune moment for SA to declare when the ball is doing a bit under overcast conditions."

Eddie R: "OH NO Faf! You should've declared an saved the fingers! No need for this, enough runs on the board." -- A Chennai fan talking

Hash: "With a bowler short. 2-1 lead in series. Never won series against Aussies in own backyard. Why should SA risk of giving a target that can be chased? Better bat till there are only two possibilities, draw or win for SA."

Ashwin: "Elgar showcasing an important component of Test cricket that is the determination to bat long and occupy the crease."

Avadhesh Agrawal: "With the weather and bad light into picture, SA should bat for a maximum of 10 more overs and go on an all-out attack. They have 7 wickets in hand, if they score 50-70 in 10 overs, it's enough. They should learn from what happened in ENG/NZ match today."

ROhan: "SA either trust their bowlers too much or they believe as the series is already pocketed, better not take a risk with Oz."

Mike: "I know South Africa are already a bowler down, but they really should have declared overnight. They better know how much it rains here in the Highveld."

Akshay: "Good morning!! I think today will be the last day of this test match." -- Try telling the rain that

Vishal: "Wouldn't SA be a great place for Day-Night Tests considering these sudden spells of darkness?"

Mohan Anand: I think SA will declare once Faf gets a reasonable score. Remember he is out of form!

Amankadyan: I can't understand South Africa's approach, with so many runs in bag they are playing proper test cricket and also rain is forecast, too defensive Proteas as they always have been. 'Well, AB is into the middle'

Aditya: I don't see SA declaring before the lead is well over 400. Maybe a few overs before end of the day. With just 3 bowlers to take 10 wickets, they would be feeling better with the additional cushion. Besides, time is not an issue.

BM: "Who is keeping now??" -- Tim Paine

jayanth: Pat Cummins assures a wicket in almost every spell . He should have opened the bowling with Hazlewood in the absence of Starc...

Pratik: Paine should consider himself batting at 4/5!! He's got a sound technique, he's someone who can hang on there when situation demands, and someone who can be relied upon and keep the scoreboard ticking - just like Smith

Ankit: "@CB, maybe @Sandeep fooled you into believing that he believed that news..or in other words he double-crossed you." -- Damn

Ashutosh Srivastava: "I really don't want that to be Morkel's last ball ever !!" -- He's probably gone off to ensure that it isn't

Sandeep: Meanwhile, read a news on KXIP website of Viru Paaji is gong to open for them in 1st match only in place of Aaron Finch...! Is it True...!! I am going mad today if it is...!! @Cricbuzz please confirm." -- Get a calendar, and today is ..

Sasuke: "In this series so far, the lower order has been more reliable than the middle order."

Ismail: "How is Quinton 'B' Kock doing now?" -- Ah, pun

Rajesh: "I am surprised why SA is not bouncing Paine. With his hand injured, that will put a lot of doubt in him. If they can get the ball on his body a few times, especially through Morkel."

Anshul Vijayvergiya: "The moment you realize they have to double this score to avoid the follow on!!" -- This cruel life .. nothing is ever good enough

Ranjith: "Very funny to see how Selectors were criticized for selecting Paine during Ashes, but he is the one who is doing fine in the lower middle order. How time plays?"

Anish: "@redx no team in the world has a reliable middle-order Almost all of them are home track bullies."

Ranvijay: "Aussie should start playing some aggressive shots because they can't survive against this bowling for a long time. So better to score some runs before getting all out." -- Tiring them out wouldn't be a bad strategy too in avoiding the follow-on

Prakhar: "Paine should come at no.5 as at this position he always gets stranded with the tail. Seeing Mitchell Marsh's form, he should come down the order."

Redx: "That's been Australia's problem for years. Smith going from a 30-average to a 60-average covered it over and Voges having a few mad series helped a lot as well, but their middle order has been unreliable for ages."

Kakashi: "South Africa would like to clean up the tail pretty quickly, they would certainly not like to see it wag here."

Tony: Its going to be a long 12 months without Smith and Warner

RK: Was it a Bee or Ant-Man helping Shaun Marsh/Australia?

ARJUN: Indian cricket had to go through a patch of shame and disgrace brought by the match fixing scandal. But that was the time when the legendary fabulous four and a group of youngsters rose to the occasion and brought back the faith of fans. Can we expect a similar turn around for the Australian team now?

Prateek: I have high hopes for Renshaw. He played very nicely and patiently on the turning tracks in Bangladesh and India. He should be given more chances to develop into a mature batsman.

Stewart: Pat Cummins 5/83 in a total of nearly 500 says Australia really needed another strike bowler. As I said yesterday, Big Billy Stanlake who can clock 150km/h plus would have had the batsmen looking more closely.

Rahul: "Maharaj will get to 50 before Bavuma's 100" -- He may even overtake his partner

Vineeth Gvs: Cummins who is the best bowler for Australia in this series hasn't bowled a single over in the 2nd session.I wonder why..

Sunil: Handy innings by Bavuma as far as SA are concerned; his 1st after a long time.

Rahul Chaudhary: From South Africa's point of view, they should bat as long as they can. This will kill any chance of an Aussie comeback.

Rahul: "118.5 : Is it caught out ? Because ball didn't touch the ground." - Got stuck in his pads and hence the ball is dead.

Moulik: "Cummins and Hazlewood deserve much more than they have got in this innings. They have bowled beautifully."

Joseph: "Guess Bavuma has risen from his slumber"

Vineeth Gvs: "Australia should have tried bowling some short balls as it is bouncing unevenly." -- Short to Bavuma is length to the world

Himanshu: "Bavuma enjoying the weekend, just 1 run scored till now." -- Might have to sprinkle some water on his face during drinks

Dikshant: "Handscomb should do wicket-keeping for a while." -- Yea, if only the captain listened

Tej: "Finally, Bavuma coming good..for his sake, hope he scores a big one."

Shrinik: "Quinton de kock has struggled against Shami from round the wicket. Think Cummins should try it with the pace and bounce he has got, bowling fourth-stump line followed by an inswinger."

Vicky: "One thing is better for sure - the over rate - from the previous Tests."

Kanchan: "Nice to see that the dangerous pitch became a good batting pitch."

Viraj: "What are the Aussie energy levels like?" -- Is better than yesterday good enough?

David: "It looks really dark out there in the middle. The lights are on too."

PK: Waited forever and ever to get selected despite taking bucket load of wickets season after season in the Shield. Finally gets a game today and that too because Starc did not play. Happy for Chadd Sayers. Big first wicket of AB de Villiers to start his Test Career. Congrats mate!

Madhusudan: Bavuma is today playing with an intent to make himself a permanent member of the Test team

Sahil: How good has Pat Cummins been since his comeback! Has been much more fitter, and is probably their best pacer at the moment. How many times have we now seen him break a partnership with his accurate bowling.

Deva: "Du Plessis wicket: Replays suggest that the impact is outside off stump. So, the decision would have been overturned if he had reviewed right???" No, it wouldn't have as he didn't offer a shot.

Santosh Shrestha: "I guess Tim Paine has forgotten that Mitchell Marsh is also playing"

Oppo: "Markram playing on a totally different surface!" -- Not that the normal surface the others are playing on is any bad

Anand: "Think like Smith - At least Lyon would have bowled a lot more too"

Ajit: "ABD 16 from 65. Where he is batting? Pune?" -- Yeah, this is the antidote to what he's going to be in a week's time

Raman: "Think like Smith for a minute, who would have been bowling now?" -- Well Mitch Marsh would have bowled more than an over at least

Ben: "Signs aren't good when the keeper is keeping up to the opener bowler.."

Somesh: "Markram and AB are looking solid and with Faf to come, the hitting licence can be given to de Kock tomorrow, and that will just extend the score. Lack of experience showing in the Aussies!"

Pavan Kalyan: "Sayers bowling resembles me of Shami!!" -- If only the pace could too

Dr Pankaj: "First boundary for ABD after 41 balls, very unusual."

Parth: "Paine should've brought Hazlewood into the attack after Cummins' spell as AB is not middling the ball and should not have allowed him to settle."

Lim: Cummins looks like he is in a different world. The way he is bowling, looks like nothing has affected him

Avadhesh Agrawal: @ Debashis.. You can't call this testing bench strength anymore. This is pretty much a full strength Aus team for at least a year now..

Debashis: Why is everyone suddenly so concerned about the energy of the Australian players on field ? Irrespective of everything that has happened off the field, as professionals they have to remain focused, it also gives opportunity to test out the bench strength for Australia.

Ravi: "How is the energy and enthusiasm of Australian team?" -- Restrained

Pranav: Markram is looking really good. Asking him to captain that early was a mistake. Surely he will learn from those innings and hopefully will become even better.

Shyam Prasad: "@CB, What about the Australians energy in the field?" -- quite expectedly dull

Anshul Vijayvergiya: "Oh please! Don't get started again with the next big thing 'bandwagon'. Just let him play and enjoy watching !!!"

Samprath: "Markram is a pleasure to the eyes. His shot making skills are of the highest notch. If he can maintain the same class, he would definitely turn out to be the next big thing in South African cricket."

Hemanth: "Amla comes to the crease... and straight away hazlewood comes into the attack." -- Lesson 1 of the captaincy guide

Aniket: "Let's not count the Aussies out just yet, Pat Cummins had one of his highlight spells here on his last trip."

Jordon: "You may be right Mike. Also don’t forget the Ashes right after WC 2019."

Mohd Awais: "You could see from the first ball that Lyon dropped his pace considerably....got the reward too."

Mike: "Remember 2019 has a World Cup immediately after the IPL. Would be safe to say that Starc would be playing only one of the two."

Vishnu: "Good to see nathan lyon come into the attack. I know there is not much help for the spinners in the wanderers pitch but you never know, anybody can provide a breakthrough anytime."

Ashwin: "Elgar is a pretty gutsy cricketer, he is a perfect example for the people who think talent is everything."

Shravan: "@nayeem farooq- I feel the team is inexperienced rather than weak..when Renshaw, Handscomb and Shaun play, they make the opposition work hard for their wickets."

Kakashi: "Sayers needs to understand that he does not have the pace to trouble the batsmen and should focus on improving his accuracy."

Nayeem Farooq: "I am watching cricked since 1996, believe me this is the weakest team Australia is playing with."

Kartik: "Looks like KKR might just extend Morne's playing days." -- All hail Starc

Pravin: "@vinay in modern time no one need TV to watch cricket we can watch on mobile phone." -- But then how do you charge it?

James: "CB's love affair with giraffe is gonna end with this match."

Ashish: "@manju I still feel Maxwell is not ready for international Test cricket, he has just made a comeback in T20 side, don't expect a comeback into Tests so soon."

juzer: "At what pace is Chadd bowling? is it threatening enough?" -- He's bowling in and around the 130s

Vinay: "@Nirvan, come to Bangalore bro, there's no electricity most of the time anyway for you to be able to watch cricket."

Debashis: "The cricketing world will fall short of another great bowler after this Test match at a time when we need bowling greats. He deserves a perfect farewell."

Gopi: "Now that Starc is ruled out of the IPL 2018, will KKR name any replacement or they can't due to lack of money?" -- Don't forget with Starc gone, they are set to be richer by 9.4 Cr.

Nirvan: "Please someone ban me for 12 months from watching Test cricket." -- Now, now. Let's not overreact

Manish Jain: "Why Maxwell is being ignored every time? He has been in very good form in Australia's domestic cricket in season and we all know what impact player he is.."

Sravan: "Big Morne always played under shadows of Steyn, Philander and others..its his time to get himself a fabulous end to his career..underrated legend."

Commentary not available for this match