Watch | Keegan Petersens one-handed stunner to remove Pujara in 3rd Test

South
Africa got off to the perfect start on day three of the decisive third Test against
India at Cape Town’s Newlands Cricket Ground on Thursday as Keegan Petersen
took a stunning, one-handed catch to get rid of senior Indian batsman
Cheteshwar Pujara in the very first over.

Marco Jansen
bowled a short delivery on the leg side, which caught Pujara’s inside edge and
flew off towards Petersen at leg gully. On another day, the ball would have easily
gone past the fielder for a boundary but Petersen was lightning quick to react
as he dived towards his right and held on to the catch to give the Proteas an
early breakthrough and send Pujara, who could not believe his luck, packing for
just nine.

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The
dismissal left commentators Pommy Mbwanga and Sunil Gavaskar awestruck.

“Wow, that
is unbelievable! Keegan Petersen, what did you have for breakfast?” Mbangwa
said.

“Sometimes
it makes sense to listen to us old-timers! That is a magnificent catch, magnificent
catch and what a start to South Africa, second ball of the day!” Indian batting
legend Gavaskar said.

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Watch the stunning
catch here:

The dismissal
also impressed fans, who took to social media to laud the 28-year-old Petersen.

Here are
some reactions:

Resuming
their innings from the overnight score of 57 for two, India got off to a disastrous
start as both Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were returned to the pavilion within the
first two overs.

Skipper
Virat Kohli (28*) then forged a healthy, 72-run partnership with wicketkeeper
batsman Rishabh Pant (51*), who took the initiative and scored his eighth Test fifty. At Lunch, India’s score was 130 for the loss of four wickets,
leading South Africa by 143 runs.

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The three-match
series is currently level at 1-1 after South Africa bounced back from the 113-run
defeat at Centurion to register a seven-wicket win at the Wanderers.