At Kingsmead, play started under overcast conditions as the Proteas took a 61-run lead over the visitors’ first innings total of 334.
Kallis, playing in his 166th match, scored 115 (off 316 balls, 13 fours) before getting out and in doing so went past Rahul Dravid’s tally of 13,288 runs in 164 matches by one run to end up as the third-highest run-getter in Test cricket history.
At the break, Faf du Plessis (5) and Robin Peterson (5) were the unbeaten batsmen.
Ravindra Jadeja picked his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket, in his first match overseas, taking 5/128 from 55 overs. Zaheer Khan (1/75) too picked up a wicket in this session, his first of the innings. Mohammad Shami (1/72) had taken one on day three, while Ishant Sharma (0/88) and Rohit Sharma (0/22) were still searching for success.
Play started 30 minutes before schedule once again, as South Africa began at their overnight score of 299/5.
Rohit bowled the last ball of the 106th over that was pending and South Africa’s 300-run mark came up in the very next, the first full over of the day. It was a day of milestones thereafter, particularly for Kallis.
He started the day slowly, sailing into the 90s with two boundaries and a few singles, not looking in any hurry. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni further delayed the new ball, making sure the run-scoring did not go up to put his team under any pressure. In the 188th over, Kallis flicked Jadeja to fine leg for four, moving to 98, as also taking his side past the Indian score of 334.
Two overs later, against the same bowler, Kallis had a nervy moment nearly playing the ball on to his stumps, before flicking to square leg for a single and bringing up his century. He scored his 100 off 273 balls, batting for 334 minutes and hitting 13 fours.
In the next two overs, he brought up his 50-run partnership with Dale Steyn for the sixth wicket, as his partner played his night-watchman duty properly, as also bringing up the 350 for South Africa.
It was in the 133rd over, against Zaheer, that Kallis went past Dravid as he played a deliberate late cut past slip.
Perhaps that was his big target, for in the very next over, he went for an uncharacteristic big shot against Jadeja and holed out. It’s most likely his last innings of his batting career, for a second innings seems impossible at this stage, even as his team-mates came out of the dressing room to embrace him.
India had another success, again with the old ball, as Steyn edged Zaheer to Dhoni four overs later. But du Plessis and Peterson avoided further losses, as the hosts were caught in two minds whether to go for quick runs or play for time.
Scoreboard
India 1st innings: 334 all out
South Africa 1st innings: (Overnight 299/5)
Graeme Smith c Dhawan b Jadeja 47
Alviro Petersen c Vijay b Jadeja 62
Hashim Amla b Shami 3
Jacques Kallis c Dhoni b Jadeja 115
AB de Villiers c Kohli b Jadeja 74
JP Duminy lbw b Jadeja 28
Dale Steyn c Dhoni b Khan 44
Faf du Plessis batting 5
Robin Peterson batting 5
Extras (LB—10, W—1, NB—1) 12
Total (for seven wickets in 140 overs) 395
Fall of wickets: 1—103, 2—113, 3—113, 4—240, 5—298, 6—384, 7—387.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 25—4—75—1, Mohammed Shami 23—2—72—1, Ishant Sharma 27—7—88—0, Ravindra Jadeja 55—15—128—5, Rohit Sharma 10—1—22—0
Our Correspondent's report of Saturday
Jacques Kallis walked out with that measured stride. And, just like it has often happened over his 18-year-old international career, South Africa was delicately placed. Hashim Amla had departed and India sensed a breach.
It was a moment, though, to celebrate one of cricket’s biggest icons. In the balcony outside the press-box, Rahul Dravid clapped effusively. One great acknowledged another while Kallis, who is playing his last Test, walked through a guard-of-honour that the Indians graciously offered.
He shook M.S. Dhoni’s hand but once he took guard, the emotion, the fuss and all the talk about his retirement was relegated to the background. Kallis just watched the ball, one by one, defending stoutly, sporadically launching a few over long-off or through cover.
But, mostly, he stayed and did his utmost to help South Africa remain stable in its first innings against India in the second Test at the Kingsmead Stadium here on Saturday.
When rain drew in an early close to the third day’s play, Kallis was still around, unbeaten on 78 with South Africa on 299 for five, just 35 runs away from India’s 334.
South Africa’s reply was largely helmed by the 127-run fourth-wicket partnership that Kallis shared with A.B. de Villiers (74).
The alliance gained momentum after lunch with Kallis unleashing his trademark punch past cover-point against Zaheer Khan and de Villiers punctured the four-man off-side cordon against Mohammad Shami.
However, Kallis mostly played the waiting game while de Villiers was the enforcer, even doing the reverse-sweep against spin.
Lone false note
On a day when Kallis had to be there, de Villiers was a scrambling-tumbling mess as he commenced a single late and just about escaped being run-out. Zaheer’s throw missed the stumps and obviously de Villiers could not afford to turn his back to a charging Kallis and become the subject of wrath across South Africa!
That was the lone false note in their partnership before Ravindra Jadeja nailed de Villiers. The ball turned just enough to take the edge.
Kallis though hung in as usual and found a nimble partner in J.P. Duminy before the latter too fell to Jadeja.
The left-arm spinner (four for 87) maintained an impeccable line close to the off-stump, gained appreciable turn and bounce and kept the batsmen honest.
Fine catch
Earlier, under a bright sun, South Africa’s openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen (62) extended their partnership to 103.
Jadeja, who had briefly troubled Smith on the previous day, soon had his man.
The Proteas’ captain lofted the left-arm spinner but miscued it and Shikhar Dhawan took a fine catch while on the run at mid-wicket.
Amla, who has been plagued by disturbed-stumps this series, found no relief. Yet again he was castled with Shami’s delivery straightening on hitting the seam.
Jadeja then drew forward a groping Petersen, who was caught at first slip with a diving M. Vijay keeping his eye on the ball.
South Africa had lost three wickets for 10 runs in just 32 deliveries, and the salvage-act was left to Kallis and the man, who will probably succeed him at number four — de Villiers.
Kallis, was steady and composed before he lofted Jadeja twice for fours.
“He has been talking a bit more in the change-room, may be he wants to enjoy his last days with the Test team,” Dale Steyn had said on Friday, and Kallis enjoyed his batting the way he usually does — guarded but equally alert to scoring opportunities.
Along with de Villiers, Kallis guided South Africa to 181 for three at lunch.
After that, the host made steady progress before Jadeja’s wickets placed the game in the balance under fading light though South Africa is marginally ahead.
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