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South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad speaking during the post-play press conference, when asked why South Africa batted for nearly 80 overs:
"We wanted India to spend as much time on their feet out in the field. We wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them completely out the game and then say to them well come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening."
"There were a few factors. We obviously were looking at how best we are going to use the new ball, so that in the morning we still get a newish, hard ball."
"We felt that when the shadows come across the pitch in the evening, there's something in it for the quick bowlers. So we didn't want to declare too early and not be able to use that (with hard ball).”
"And then obviously we wanted India to spend as much time on their feet out in the field."
"So far so good but we also know they are just not going to roll over. We have to be at our very best tomorrow but those are the factors that we considered here."
"Some people would say you batted for too long. I don't think it is. I don't think there's a right and a wrong in anything. We wanted India to come out again after that second break and again spend time on their feet."
"Their bowlers spent a lot of time out there. We saw the effects of batting for two full days in the first innings and what sort of effect it had on them.”
"Yeah it was never going to be easy for the opening batters to come this evening (with) especially new ball shadows across the wicket."
"So if tomorrow evening, it comes that we have them eight down and people say well see 'we told you so'. Well, I mean we have got to base it on our sound judgment and if that doesn't work out well, it doesn't."
"We wanted India to spend as much time on their feet out in the field. We wanted them to really grovel, to steal a phrase, bat them completely out the game and then say to them well come and survive on the last day and an hour this evening."
"There were a few factors. We obviously were looking at how best we are going to use the new ball, so that in the morning we still get a newish, hard ball."
"We felt that when the shadows come across the pitch in the evening, there's something in it for the quick bowlers. So we didn't want to declare too early and not be able to use that (with hard ball).”
"And then obviously we wanted India to spend as much time on their feet out in the field."
"So far so good but we also know they are just not going to roll over. We have to be at our very best tomorrow but those are the factors that we considered here."
"Some people would say you batted for too long. I don't think it is. I don't think there's a right and a wrong in anything. We wanted India to come out again after that second break and again spend time on their feet."
"Their bowlers spent a lot of time out there. We saw the effects of batting for two full days in the first innings and what sort of effect it had on them.”
"Yeah it was never going to be easy for the opening batters to come this evening (with) especially new ball shadows across the wicket."
"So if tomorrow evening, it comes that we have them eight down and people say well see 'we told you so'. Well, I mean we have got to base it on our sound judgment and if that doesn't work out well, it doesn't."
