SA vs IND, 2nd Test: India win Cape Town lottery in 1-and-a-half days for rare series draw in South Africa

India overcame a first innings batting collapse to level the two-match Test series by beating South Africa by seven wickets at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

With this win, Rohit Sharma became just the second Indian skipper after MS Dhoni to avoid a Test series defeat in South Africa. Prior to this series, India had lost seven and drawn one Test series in South Africa since 1992. Interestingly, this was also India’s first-ever Test win in Cape Town.

The match ended in just five sessions of play, making it the shortest Test with a result in terms of overs bowled. The previous shortest Test was played between Australia and South Africa in 1932, when the Aussies came out on top in a match that lasted for 109.2 overs in Melbourne.

This match ended in 107.1 overs, with South Africa’s first innings lasting 23.2 overs, India’s first innings lasting 34.5 overs, South Africa batting for 37 overs in their second innings, and India chasing down the target in 12 overs, making for a total of 107.1 overs being bowled in Cape Town.

1st INNINGS CARNAGE

Day 1 witnessed a staggering total of 23 wickets falling, making it a one-of-a-kind anomaly. Mohammed Siraj delivered a spectacular performance with a six-wicket haul, pulverising South Africa to their lowest post-apartheid score of 55, having been bowled out within the first session itself.

While Siraj registered his career-best figures by picking six wickets and leaking just 15 runs in nine overs, Mukesh Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two wickets each.

India then got off to a decent start with skipper Rohit Sharma (39) and Shubman Gill (36) stitching an important partnership. Following their dismissals, Virat Kohli took the team past the 150-run mark, scoring 46 runs. But then the collapse started with Lungi Ngidi picking three wickets in the 34th over, dismissing KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.

Mohammed Siraj was then run out in the next over, before Kagiso Rabada joined the party and sent Kohli and Prasidh Krishna back to the pavilion, bowling the visitors out for 153 runs.

India, who were cruising at 153 for 4, lost their last six wickets in 11 balls without adding a single run on the scoreboard.

ELGAR BIDS FAREWELL

Dean Elgar became the first South African batter to fall in their second innings. Elgar departed after scoring 12 runs off 28 deliveries in what was his final match in international cricket. As he walked back following his dismissal on Day 1 of the match, both Proteas and Indian players united in giving him a heartfelt ovation.

Mukesh, who had dismissed Elgar, struck once again to remove Tony de Zorzi to reduce the hosts to 41 for 2. Bumrah rounded up a crazy day of play by dismissing youngster Tristan Stubbs as South Adrica ended with 62 for 3 on the board at the end of Day 1.

BUMRAH TURNS UP THE HEAT ON DAY 2

With South Africa starting Day 2 on 62 for 3, India pacer Jasprit Bumrah took matter into his own hands and bowled a brillaint spell. Bumrah first removed David Bedingham early in the day, as the young batter was undone by late seam movement, edging the ball to wicket-keeper KL Rahul.

Wicket-keeping batter Kyle Verreynne was the next to fall as he pulled a Bumrah delivery straight at Mohammed Siraj at mid-on. Bumrah then caught and bowled all-rounder Marco Jansen before dismissing Keshav Maharaj to claim his ninth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

With this spell, he also equalled the legendary Javagal Srinath for the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in Tests in South Africa.

MARKRAM COUNTER-ATTACKS

With wickets falling all around him, South Africa opener Aiden Markram took matters in his own hands and went after the Indian pace attack. Markram scored a brilliant century, his seventh in Test cricket, to give South Africa hope in what was looking like a lost cause following Bumrah’s exploits earlier on Day 2.

Markram, was given a lifeline by KL Rahul, after he dropped a regulation catch off Bumrah’s bowling. Markram made India pay for the mistake, smashing Prasidh Krishna for 19 runs in one over before bringing up his hundred in the 30th over.

Markram was finally dismissed by Siraj after he hit a good length delivery high, which was caught by skipper Rohit Sharma at long-off.

Prasidh then removed Rabada before Bumrah came back into the attack to get rid of Lungi Ngidi, while becoming the highest Test wicket-taker for India in South Africa, going level with Srinath. South Africa were bowled out for 176 runs, setting a 79-run target for India to chase.

INDIA COMPLETE CHASE IN QUICK TIME

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit took the attack to the South African pacers in the final innings of the game. Jaiswal smashed Rabada for 11 runs in the first over to get India off to a flying start.

Jaiswal continued his onslaught, scoring 28 runs off 23 balls, smashing six boundaries before being dismissed by Nandre Burger. Shubman Gill was looking good but was dismissed by Rabada as a ball stayed low and shattered his stumps. Kohli was the next to fall, edging a Jansen delivery to wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne.

Rohit and Shreyas Iyer then guided India to victory, getting to the 79-run target in 12 overs. Rohit scored 17 runs off 22 deliveries, hitting two boundaries, while Iyer finished a match with a boundary.

Following this Test series, India will face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series, starting January 11. Meanwhile, South Africa will travel to New Zealand to face the Kiwis in a two-match Test series.