India lose Virender Sehwag, reach 53/1 (Lunch report)

CAPE TOWN - India were 53 for one — having lost Virender Sehwag — at lunch on the fifth day of the third and series-deciding cricket Test here Thursday.

Chasing a victory target of 340 runs, India began cautiously against some fiery bowling by South African pace attack.

Gautam Gambhir (32) and Rahul Dravid (8) are battling to save the Test as a win from here seems unlikely. For winning the series, India will have to score another 287 runs in 62 overs.

Much was riding on Sehwag in the morning as the swashbuckling opener can score quickly and force the opposition on the defensive.

But Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn gave no respite to Indian openers and kept them on a tight leash.

Morkel breathed fire pinning down the openers with some quality bowling.

Sehwag, who has been struggling for runs in the series, and Gambhir bought their time in the middle. Such was the consistency of Steyn and Morkel that the aggressive duo never got the room to play their strokes freely.

Sehwag and Gambhir were in fact lucky to survive with the swinging and bouncing deliveries missing the bat on numerous occasions. They shared only 27 runs in 12 overs, before Sehwag was dismissed, caught by Graeme Smith at first slip off Morkel.

Sehwag struck only two fours in 40 balls while Gambhir played 80 balls and hit four fours.

Dravid, who is also searching for form, saw off 49 deliveries, standing tall to the challenge of Steyn, Morkel and left-arm pacer Lonwabo Tsotsobe.