Rohit Sharma-led India script history, become first Asian team to win a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town
Team India led by Rohit Sharma scripted history by becoming the first Asian team to beat South Africa in Cape Town. The visitors defeated the Proteas by seven wickets on Thursday, January 4, finishing the game inside two days.
India have finally tasted victory in their seventh Test at the venue. The other Asian teams, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, are yet to win in four attempts apiece.
With the win, the visitors also leveled the two-match Test series 1-1, making Sharma the second Indian captain (after Mahendra Singh Dhoni) to draw a Test series in the Rainbow nation.
Chasing 79 in the final innings, India won the match inside 12 overs with seven wickets to spare. Yashasvi Jaiswal top scored with 28 runs off 23 balls. Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 17 and four runs, respectively. Iyer slammed a boundary to take the visitors past the finish line.
Batting first, the Proteas were bowled out for 55, courtesy of career-best figures from Mohammed Siraj (6/15). In response India amassed 153, with a dramatic collapse seeing them lose their last six wickets without adding any runs.
Virat Kohli starred with the bat, scoring 46 off 59 deliveries, hitting one maximum and six boundaries.
Aiden Markram’s century in the third innings helped the hosts put up 176, giving India a target of 79. The right-handed opener slammed 106 off 103, comprising two sixes and 17 boundaries in an aggressive display of batting.
Jasprit Bumrah stole the show with the ball in the third innings, returning with figures of 61/6.
“That lead was important” – Rohit Sharma on 98-run first innings lead against South Africa
Rohit Sharma later pointed out that the 98-run lead in the first innings proved to be a game-changer in the bowling-friendly conditions. The 36-year-old credited the bowlers for picking up 20 wickets in 60.1 overs (collectively).
Rohit Sharma said in the post-match show:
“A great feat. In Centurion, we had to learn from the mistakes. We came back very well, especially our bowlers. Had some plans and the boys got rewarded. We applied ourselves, we batted well to get a 100-run lead, not pleasing to see the last six wickets. We knew that it's going to be a short game, we knew every run matters, to get that lead was very important.”
He added:
“(On Siraj) Very special, something you don;t get to see very often. We spoke about keeping things simple and that's what happened. The pitch did the rest. Lot of credit to Siraj, Bumrah, Mukesh and Prasidh.”
India will next play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which starts in Mohali on January 11.