Stats: Cheteshwar Pujara creates unwanted history as India sink to new lows
India faltered in an away Test yet again following a thrashing at the hands of South Africa by 135 runs. In the process, the hosts managed to seal the series 2-0. At the end of Day 5, there were needless records against the names of Indian batsmen, particularly Cheteshwar Pujara.
Here are some of the key figures following the conclusion of the Centurion Test:
1 - Pujara became the first Indian to be run out twice in a Test when South Africa found him short of the mark yet again on the final day. Just three days ago, he was run out – off his first ball – and his second innings dismissal cast him next to unwanted company. The last batsman to have been a victim of twin run outs in the same Test was former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, against Zimbabwe at Wellington in 2000.
1 - Virat Kohli lost his first full series as India's Test captain. Before this, Kohli had led India in 9 full series – the list excludes two matches against Australia in 2014-15 and the Dharamsala Test against them in 2017 – winning 8 and drawing 1.
1 - This is the first time that India lost seven wickets for 100 or less thrice in a series since 1984. In the first Test at Cape Town, India slipped to 92/7 in the first innings and then 82/7 in the second; at Centurion, the visitors again crumbled to 87/7 in the second innings.
5 - South Africa's Lungi Ngidi became the fifth cricketer to win the Man of the Match award on Test debut against India. Ngidi picked up 6/39 in India's second innings to go with one first innings wicket, finishing with match figures of 7/90.
6 - India lost their sixth Test series in South Africa out of a total of 7 since 1992-93. The only time that they managed to draw the series was in 2010-11, when the three-match series ended 1-1. In fact, they have won only 2 Tests in the nation so far – one each in 2006-07 and 2010-11.
6 - Ngidi became the sixth South African cricketer to win the Man of the Match award on Test debut, the first one being former opener Andrew Hudson and the last one being pacer Kyle Abbott, who is now settled with a Kolpak deal in England.
47 - Rohit Sharma's highest score in the fourth innings of a Test match, also his best Test score against South Africa. His previous highest score in the fourth innings was 39 in the Sydney Test against Australia in 2014-15.