Indian captain Virat Kohli, center, congratulates Rassie van Der Dussen oafter South Africa beat India 2-1 in a test series between in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Halden Krog) South Africa won the decisive final Test against top-ranked India by seven wickets Friday to come from behind and clinch the series 2-1. It denied India its first Test series win in South Africa and was an unexpected result considering the strength of the Indian team under captain Virat Kohli, and the relative inexperience of the South African side.
“That people expect us to beat South Africa in South Africa is testimony to how far we’ve come,” said Kohli. “We haven’t done it, that’s the reality. Accept it and come back as better cricketers. You’ve got to credit the opposition where it’s due.”
India was a convincing winner of the first Test in Centurion by 113 runs and that seemed to be a forecast for the series ahead. But the Proteas leveled in Johannesburg with a gutsy fourth-innings run chase and did the same again when it chased down 212 in the decider at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday. South Africa got home surprisingly comfortably and finished on 212-3 soon after lunch on Day 4.
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was not happy with India’s tactics of not using Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami or Shardul Thakur after Lunch on Day 4. “It was a mystery to me why Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl after Lunch. It was almost as if India had decided that they are not going to win this,” Gavaskar said on commentary.
Meanwhile, the Proteas earned plaudits after their resounding win and here are some of the best reactions:
Now that is what u call Protea Fire!!!
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) January 14, 2022
THAT
WAS
INSANE.#Proteas— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) January 14, 2022
That is proper!!!!
Beating the top ranked side in the world so comprehensively
Our test team deserves more respect than they are given
Well done boys 🇿🇦#ProteaFire
— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) January 14, 2022
Congratulations @OfficialCSA on a wonderful series win. To win the series after losing the first test showed the character of a young side. India played really well, but South Africa were better in the key moments and are deserved winners. #IndvSA
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 14, 2022
Incredible turnaround by a young South African team. Lost all tosses. Lost Nortje before a ball bowled. De Kock after the first Test. Chased down 200+ in the fourth innings twice. Tenacity is what makes SAF the cricketing nation it is…keep fighting forever. 🙇♂️
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 14, 2022
Result didn’t go our way but that doesn’t change the fact that this was a gripping series. Every session was a contest. Congratulations to @OfficialCSA. You’ve got great foundation to build on. Petersen is 👌🏼And Rabada-Nortje-Ngidi-Jansen attack is going to be 🔥 #SAvIND
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 14, 2022
South Africa win! 🔥
Bavuma and van der Dussen take them over the line!
A terrific victory for a young team – what a performance! 🙌
Watch #SAvIND live on https://t.co/CPDKNxpgZ3 (in select regions)#WTC23 | https://t.co/Wbb1FE2mW1 pic.twitter.com/uirBesoYdp
— ICC (@ICC) January 14, 2022
A historic victory for the 🇿🇦 #Proteas#SAvIND #FreedomTestSeries #BePartOfIt #KeepWalking | @JohnnieWalkerSA pic.twitter.com/e87tJDr3Ye
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 14, 2022
India will be facing South Africa in the ODI series starting from January 19.
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