After the Gabba, Team India have once again breached another fortress and this time it is the Centurion as the visitors win by 113 runs at SuperSport Park on Thursday (December 30). South Africa is still unconquered territory for India, and with this win, the Men in Blue have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.
2021 – It is the second time India have had won four Tests outside Asia in a calendar year (Brisbane, Lord’s, Oval, Centurion). The last time theis took place was in 2018 (Jo’burg, Nottingham, Adelaide, Melbourne).
The visitors had started Day 5 off on a good note and registered their first-ever win at Centurion. While it was inevitable today, the only thing in their way was a dodgy weather forecast. However, everything was in the favour of the visitors and the rain stayed away.
While the pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur – did what was expected of them, spinner R Ashwin also got the wickets he deserved.
#TeamIndia WIN at Centurion #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/35KCyFM4za
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 30, 2021
India’s Test wins in South Africa:
123 runs Jo’burg 2006/07
87 runs Durban 2010/11
63 runs Jo’burg 2017/18
113 runs Centurion 2021/22
Team India had started the Test with skipper Virat Kohli winning the toss and opting to bat first. Openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal gave the side the desired start with Mayank smashing his half-century and Rahul reaching his century.
The other batters managed to put on a decent score but saw rain interrupt Day 2 with no ball being bowled. And when Day 3 began, it saw a severe batting collapse.
The third day saw as many as 18 wickets fall and that’s despite the fact that nine overs were lost due to the over rate. After 84 overs being bowled, India continued to dominate and take 146 runs to lead on Day 3.
The 18 wickets in the day’s play are the most in a day in a Test at the Centurion. The previous most was 16 wickets on the third day of the Test between South Africa and New Zealand in 2007/08.
After India pacers wreaked havoc over Proteas batters and ended their innings at 197, the Men in Blue came in to bat and started good, but lost a wicket to debutant Marco Jansen. He struck on his first ball and Agarwal was seen shaking his head as he walked back. Shardul Thakur came in to join KL Rahul as the nightwatchman.
SA dismissed under 200 in each innings at home since re-admission:
159 & 133 v Aus Jo’burg 2001/02
194 & 177 v Ind Jo’burg 2017/18
197 & 191 v Ind Centurion 2021/22
None of the batters had scored much and saw wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant being the top-scorer for India in the second innings after he smashed with a run-a-ball 34. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took four wickets apiece while Lungi Ngidi got two wickets to his name.
Coming in to bat again, South Africa were in a tricky spot as they finished play on Day 4 having lost four wickets for 94 runs, with 211 more runs needed to win.
Bumrah was again the man to start Day 5 with a wicket of Proteas skipper Dean Elgar who was set and batting at 77. With three wickets down and India needing three wickets to win, the two sides went in for lunch.
However, things did not last long on the field as Shami sent back debutant Marco Jansen while the spinner got the better of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Temba Bavuma remained no out at 35, but could not do much to save the same for South Africa.
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