South Africa vs India 2018: Top 5 Tests between South Africa and India
After much ado, South Africa will be finally hosting India for a full tour of 3 Tests, 6 ODIs and 3 T20s. India have won only two Tests on South African soil so far, and are yet to register a series win there, having surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 1-2 in 2006.
Before the first Test of the 2018 series starts at Cape Town on January 5, Sportskeeda revisits some of the most memorable encounters between these two sides, including two exciting drawn matches.
#5 South Africa vs India, Johannesburg 2013
A draw for the ages. South Africa nearly ended up chasing a mammoth 458 at The Wanderers on a pitch with true pace and bounce, where MS Dhoni chose to bat.
But only a young Virat Kohli, with 119, contributed majorly in a total of 280 where the only other batsman to cross 25 was then-newcomer Ajinkya Rahane with 47. Vernon Philander bagged 4/61 and Morne Morkel 3/34. Graeme Smith then got 68, but South Africa ended up also needing crucial lower-order runs from Philander, who hit 59. Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan took four each as India were 36 ahead.
In a humungous effort, the surging Kohli and Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara put on 222 runs for the third wicket. Pujara achieved his highest score of 153 outside Asia – till date, that remains his only century outside the sub-continent – while Kohli missed out on a second century by just four runs. Eventually, India set South Africa an unlikely 458 to win and record the highest successful chase in Test cricket.
From a smooth position of 108 without loss, South Africa feared losing the match at 197/4, with India having as many as 75 overs to take the remaining wickets. But AB de Villiers brought his experience into play to stitch 205 with Faf du Plessis in 62 overs. Both batsmen hit hundreds, and as South Africa threatened to take away the match with their tail in the middle, 16 runs in the final 3.1 overs made them give up, much like India, who went on the defensive with their bowling and the field.
India 280 (Kohli 119, Rahane 47; Philander 4/61) and 421 (Pujara 153, Kohli 96; Philander 3/68) drew with South Africa 244 (Smith 68, Philander 59; Ishant 4/79) and 450/7 (du Plessis 134, de Villiers 103; Shami 3/107)