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Indian team celebrate after beating South Africa in Johannesburg. (Twitter/BCCI)
Kohli and boys had come into the game with the visitors never having lost a Test at the venue and they kept the unbeaten run intact, despite the hosts preparing a fast and bouncy wicket that had pundits calling it unplayable and dangerous all through the third and fourth day.
India defeated South Africa by 63 runs as the No.1 Test team showed what it takes to first grind it out with the bat, taking blows on the body, and then scuttled out the hosts for 177 to avoid a humiliating series whitewash after losing the first Test in Cape Town and second Test in Centurion.
Mohammed Shami finished with a five-for as he has become almost unplayable in the second innings on South African wickets. Unfortunately for Dean Elgar, he remained unbeaten on 86 as Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma finished with two wickets apiece. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with 1/39.
The atmosphere was electric at the Bull Ring on Saturday as the crowd got into the game in the third session with both teams fought tooth and nail to grab the upper-hand. While the South African supporters kept booing the Indians every time the hosts’ batsmen scored runs, the Indian supporters would be on their feet every time the visitors took a wicket. In the end, it was the sparse Indian crowd that had the last laugh as the Proteas failed to chase down 241 in their second innings on a wicket which had the hosts running for cover.
In a game that had the Indians dominate the first three days, the South Africans came back strongly on the fourth morning after overnight rain delayed the start by an hour. The duo of Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla batted for 265 deliveries before Amla (52) was dismissed 20 minutes before the tea break. Till then, it was a complete case of domination from the Proteas on a wicket which suddenly looked to have sobered down overnight.
The reason for the change in behaviour was the home side using the heavy roller on a wicket which was damp after it rained till around 7am. The cracks had softened up and when it was pressed by the heavy roller, it came together and closed up – causing a natural binding sensation. This combined with some poor display with the ball from the Indians ensured that South Africa started to claw back into the game. In fact, the teams went into lunch with the score on 69/1 with Elgar on 29 and Amla on 27.
But with the sun finally out and drying up the wicket, the cracks started to open up and as the players returned after the break, Ishant started to look good. Even though Amla and Elgar still looked in control as they evaded the bad balls and hit the good ones for runs, Ishant finally struck 20 minutes before tea when a half volley on Amla’s legs saw him clip it straight to Pandya at short mid-wicket. Brilliant reflexes from the all-rounder sent Amla (52) back to the hut. As is the case on wickets like these, one wicket leads to another and AB de Villiers (6) left 3 overs later when a ball from Jasprit Bumrah kicked from the spot and took the edge of de Villiers’s bat and landed in the safe hands of Ajinkya Rahane at gully.
Skipper Faf du Plessis and Elgar took the hosts to tea with the score on 136/3. But soon after tea, Ishant was back in the wickets column. This time, he got one to hit the crack and skid onto the off-stump even before du Plessis (2) could get down and dig the ball out. Team India’s attitude started changing as they could feel that the game was slowly getting back in their grasp. And things became all the more clear when Bumrah then caught Quinton de Kock (0) plumb in front one run later. From 136/3 at the tea break, the score read 145/5.
After that, it was a complete Mohammed Shami show as he got the ball to reverse and sent back Vernon Philander (10), Andile Phehlukwayo (0) and Morne Morkel (0) back to the hut. India’s lower-order nemesis Kagiso Rabada was accounted for by Bhuvneshwar as he got the perfect left-hander’s outswinger to take the edge of Rabada’s bat and land in the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip.
Elgar and Lungi Ngidi did try to bring the hosts as close to the target as they possibly could, but the Indians were just too good and Ngidi was the last wicket out as the Indians started celebrating a famous win on a wicket which shall clearly earn a warning from the International Cricket Council once match referee Andy Pycroft sends in his report.
India vs South Africa Third Test Day 4 Highlights - As It HappenedFirst Published: January 27, 2018, 9:09 PM IST