Top 5 bowling performances by Indians against South Africa in Tests

Zaheer Khan had a special liking for Graeme SmithSince South Africa’s re-admission to cricket in 1992, India has had a poor record against the Proteas and the biggest reason for the same is that India have come up short in the bowling department. One needs to take 20 wickets in order to win a match and given India’s dismal Test record against the Proteas, it is no surprise that great bowling performances by Indian bowlers against them have been few in number. Now, as the Indians prepare for the Mahatma Gandhi – Nelson Mandela trophy against South Africa, here is an attempt to look at some of the best bowling performances by Indians against the African nation.

#5 Venkatesh Prasad - 5/60 at Durban, 1996

Every Indian player apart from Prasad had a game to forget

This was a Test match that not only the Indian fans but the whole Indian team would also like to forget about. India managed to score only 166 runs in the entire match and eventually lost the match by 328 runs. But there was one Indian by the name Venkatesh Prasad who had a memorable outing in this otherwise one-sided contest. 

Captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and invited the Proteas to bat on a lively Kingsmead pitch. Prasad not only made early inroads into the South African innings by dismissing their premier batsman Gary Kirsten, but also took wickets in the middle and then came back to finish the tail. It was due to his efforts and that of his opening partner Javagal Srinath that the Proteas were dismissed for 235 runs in the first innings. Prasad eventually finished with figures of 5/60.