Across eight Test tours of South Africa, India have an ordinary record. They have played 23 matches, won four and lost 12. There is a similarity in all four wins, which came on different trips. India batted first on these occasions and their fast bowlers did maximum damage. Of the 80 wickets taken in these games, the quicker bowlers accounted for 64. Twice, India have lost a series after winning the first Test.
The Sreesanth show in Ganguly’s comeback Test
Johannesburg, Dec 2006: India’s first win on South African soil came after four defeats and five draws on three previous trips. This was Sourav Ganguly’s comeback Test and he made a famous 51 not out in the first innings. His last-wicket stand of 44 with VRV Singh lifted India from 205-9.
It was Sreesanth after that. South Africa were blown away in a manner unprecedented at home since their readmission in 1991. Sreesanth took 5-40 in a total of 84. Other than swing and seam movement at a good pace, the Kerala player is also remembered for a unique celebratory jig after hitting Andre Nel for a six in the second innings.
Set 402 to win, South Africa did better but lost by 123 runs. Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble took three apiece. Rahul Dravid became the first Indian skipper to win a Test in South Africa, but couldn’t protect the lead.
Brief scores: India 249 & 236. South Africa 84 & 278. India won by 123 runs. PoM: Sreesanth. Series: SA 2-1.
Sreesanth snorter, last Laxman classic & a first drawn series
Durban, Dec 2010: Sreesanth was again at the forefront. This match is remembered for the delivery he dismissed Jacques Kallis with in the second innings. It was a lifter from a good length which took the batter by surprise and saw him end up in a clueless position, lobbing a dolly on the off side.
VVS Laxman was the star of this low-scoring Test, where the highest total was 228. India had to build on their lead but were in trouble at 93-5. Laxman essayed the last of his second-innings classics in the company of the lower order to push the lead above 300. He was last man out going for runs when on 96. It helped India draw a series in South Africa for the first time after four defeats.
Brief scores: India 205 & 228. South Africa 131 & 215. India won by 87 runs. PoM: VVS Laxman. Series: 1-1.
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Pujara go-slow, all-round Bhuvi & a consolation
Johannesburg, Jan 2018: However encouraging this win on a green top might have been, it came in a lost cause. India had already conceded the first two Tests and this was just a consolation. In another low-scoring affair, Cheteshwar Pujara played 51 balls before scoring his first run in the first innings and eventually made a gutsy 50.
Neither side fielded a spinner. This was not a match of towering contributions, other than Dean Elgar’s unbeaten 86 in the fourth innings, where he carried his bat. Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced perhaps his best all-round performance and did something or the other all the time.
In a match with just one total above 200, Bhuvi made 30 and 33. Although Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami returned five-wicket hauls, he did his job at the right time and took three big wickets in the first innings.
Brief scores: India 164 & 247. South Africa 194 & 177. India won by 63 runs. PoM: Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Series: SA 2-1.
Great start before heartbreak in Kohli’s last series as captain
Centurion, Dec 2021: This was a convincing win in the first Test of a series India lost. KL Rahul became the second Indian opener to score a Test century in South Africa after Wasim Jaffer in 2007. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal shared an opening stand of 117, which was significant, looking at the victory margin.
The lethal Indian pace attack made short work of the home team. Bumrah, Shami and Mohammed Siraj kept tormenting. With Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin backing up, South Africa’s batters were never in the match, despite some good work by their fast bowlers.
It was a great start to an eventually heartbreaking outing for India. They looked good to post a first-ever Test series in South Africa, before losing the next two against a side trying to rebuild. Dramatically enough, it was Virat Kohli’s last Test series as captain.
Brief scores: India 327 & 174. South Africa 197 & 101. India won by 113 runs. PoM: KL Rahul. Series: SA 2-1.
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