SA vs IND, 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: India beats South Africa by seven wickets to level series 1-1

India has managed to draw a Test series in South Africa only for the second time but a series win still eludes India in the Rainbow Nation. However, the win today means India climbs to the top of the WTC 2023-25 points table. The South Africa tour ends up being a successful one overall for Team India. The T20I series was drawn 1-1, while the ODI side clinched a 2-1 win under KL Rahul, and now the Test team has grabbed an elusive win at Cape Town and levelled the series 1-1. That will be all from us. Keep following us and the Indian cricket caravan, which now gears up for a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, starting from January 11. 

The top run-scorer and top wicket-taker of the series are awarded joint-winners of the player-of-the-series award. Elgar ends the series with 201 runs and calls time on his career, while Bumrah marks his return to Test cricket with 12 wickets in three innings. 

There were two six-wicket hauls for India in the match but it is Mohammed Siraj who bags the player-of-the-match award. Jasprit Bumrah, who took 6/61 in the second innings, is with Siraj at the post-match presentation as interpretor. 

Other than this being India’s first-ever Test win in Cape Town, this is also the shortest Test match to end in a result. The match just lasted 642 balls, going past the previous shortest game, between Australia and South Africa in 1932 in Melbourne, that had lasted for 656 balls. 

SA vs IND, 2nd Test: India beats South Africa inside two days to record shortest Test match with a result

India beat South Africa by seven wickets at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on Thursday, in a match became the shortest in Test history to end in a result.

Kohli swings and misses as the ball slides down outside leg-stump. South Africa goes up for a review for caught-behind. There is a small spike on UltraEdge as the ball passes the glove and Kohli has to walk back. A huge cheer from the crowd. Shreyas Iyer comes in and is troubled right away by one that is pitched slightly short on leg-stump. Shreyas now goes for the pull looking to put this bouncer away but cannot make any connection. Short again and Shreyas splices it and almost pops a catch on the off-side as the ball lands safely. Shreyas backs away outside leg but cannot beat the mid-off fielder. Just as the over is called, the umpire signals it is a no-ball for overstepping. FOUR! Shreyas hammers this to the long-on fence and India wins by seven wickets to level the series 1-1. 

Virat Kohli c Verreynne b Jansen 12 (11b 2x4)

Rabada replaces Burger. Kohli tucks one off his pads for a single. Dropped! Rohit ends up slicing this very high in the air and De Zorzi drops this skyer at point. FOUR! Kohli steps out and sends this length delivery hurtling through midwicket and to the fence. A quick single for Kohli to end the over. India needs four runs to win. 

Marco Jansen into the attack. Kohli starts off by shouldering arms to this one that angles across him. Too short and this is called wide for height. India now needs 20 to win. Leading edge and this drops just short of Jansen. FOUR! This is flicked to the fine-leg boundary by Kohli for his first boundary of the innings. Off the inside half of the bat to deep square-leg and Kohli collects a single. Beaten! Slants across Rohit, who takes a step forward to defend but the ball goes away from him with the angle. FOUR! Lifted over mid-off by Rohit for a boundary to end the over. 

Rohit makes room outside off and slices it over the infield. Deep third does well to run and get to the ball but cannot hold on to it as it dips on him. FOUR! This is hammered through extra-cover by Gill as he shimmies out of his crease. OUT! Bowled him and Rabada has his man. Gill has to go. Kohli is in next. He starts off by defending back to the bowler. He then pushes one on the off-side and forces Rohit to take a quick single. Beaten! This one moves away as Rohit pokes outside off to defend. South Africa reviews this for caught-behind but there is daylight between bat and ball. 

Burger continues from over the wicket. Rohit leaves this delivery that angles across and finishes outside off-stump. Tucked off his pads next ball for a single by Rohit. Pushed through cover by Gill for a couple of runs. FOUR! Punched down the ground with a straight bat by Gill for a boundary. That’s 50 up for India in 7.4 overs. Gill fends this back to the bowler. Beaten! The ball goes past Gill’s outside edge as it keeps slightly low. 

Rabada again. Nips back in with extra bounce and beats Rohit and hits him on the thigh pad. Probably an inside edge too. Wide outside off next up and Rohit is happy to leave. Flicked through square-leg by Rohit for a single. Solidly defended by Gill to mid-off. Crisply driven by Gill but he finds the mid-off fielder again. Hard length outside off and Gill shapes for the cut before seemingly pulling out of the shot. 

FOUR! Width on offer by Burger and Rohit slashes hard and the ball goes over the slips and to the boundary behind. Short and going outside leg, Rohit gets some glove on that as he looks to pull it away and Verreynne does well to dive and get to it but cannot hold on to the catch. FOUR! This is full on middle and off and Jaiswal lifts this over cover for a boundary. OUT! And Jaiswal’s tryst with danger comes to an end. He pulls, tumbles over, is almost hit-wicket and the catch is taken at deep backward square-leg. Shubman Gill is the next batter in. Short ball and Gill doesn’t really attempt a shot. 

Rabada continues. Rohit gets an outside edge to gully and steals a single. Cut away by Jaiswal for one more next ball. Big shout for lbw but this hit Rohit high on the thigh pad. Jaiswal has a huge heave at this full delivery just outside off-stump and misses. Hacked away to mid-on by Jaiswal and that’s another dot ball. This is angling into Jaiswal’s pads and the ball goes off the top of his pad to the slip cordon. 

Burger again. FOUR! Jaiswal backs away outside leg-stump and lofts the ball over cover and he finds another boundary. Flicked through midwicket now for a single. Short and Rohit goes for the pull but the ball blazes over him. Rohit defends this back to Burger. FIVE WIDES! Short, and the ball misses Rohit and the keeper and goes away to the boundary for five extra runs. Rohit then hacks across the line for a single at deep square-leg. 

Short and wide outside off from Rabada and Rohit leaves. Dabbed behind to fine-leg for a single by Rohit. Jaiswal gets an inside edge onto his pads as he goes looking for another drive through cover. FOUR! This is cut away fiercely by Jaiswal for his fourth boundary of the innings. Cut away again next ball but straight to the point fielder. Full outside off and driven square of the wicket for a single off the last ball of the over by Jaiswal. 

Burger from the other end. Full and driven to the cover fielder by Jaiswal for a dot ball. Short of a good length and Jaiswal swings across the line and misses as the ball bounces a bit extra. Short and Jaiswal pulls out of the pull shot in the nick of time. FOUR! Pitched up delivery and Jaiswal finds the gap through cover this time with a drive. Defends the next one back to Burger. Jaiswal misses the flick and the ball thuds into his front pad. 

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal are out to begin the 79-run chase. Dean Elgar receives a standing ovation as he walks out for one final time in international cricket. But he will want to bow out on a high! Rabada has the new ball. FOUR! Short and Jaiswal pulls the first ball of the innings for a boundary behind square-leg boundary. Dropped, or was it? Jaiswal gets a bit of glove on this short ball as he looks to ramp it and it falls just short of the slip fielder. FOUR! Jaiswal finds the gap between third slip and gully as he places it through the gap with soft hands. A quick single for Jaiswal next ball and that brings Rohit Sharma on strike. Steep bounce as the ball takes off from a length and hits Rohit on the arm. Rohit makes room next ball and lofts it over cover for a couple of runs. Big first over for India. 

Bumrah is back into the attack. Ngidi flicks a yorker through midwicket for a single. Driven through cover by Burger for one more. OUT! Ngidi gets an outside edge as Bumrah darts it in full and straight and gets the ball to move away late. India will need 79 runs to win. The teams will now take Lunch. We will be right back for what promises to be a thrilling run-chase. Stay tuned! 

Lungi Ngidi c Jaiswal b Bumrah 8 (10b)

Siraj will continue. Ngidi gets a couple of valuable runs as the ball runs away off the inside edge on leg-side through midwicket. A well-timed drive down the ground by Ngidi and he’ll collect three more. Bouncer sliding down leg-side and that will be one for the over, the umpire says. A cracking drive by Burger but straight to mid-off; no runs. 

Vicious bouncer by Prasidh to Ngidi and the batter has to scamper to keep his gloves out of the way. Short again but this is dabbed to wide deep third-man for a single. Prasidh comes around the stumps and goes full on off-stump line. Burger has a swing at it and misses. Full and straight, coming in with the angle, and Burger defends it back to the bowler. FOUR! Short and Burger plays a ramp behind the keeper for a boundary. 

Siraj starts off with a bouncer and Burger ducks under it. Another bouncer next ball but this is wide outside leg-stump. Three dot balls in a row. Siraj tucks Burger up with a back-of-a-length delivery that pitches outside leg-stump and comes into the left-hander with the angle. Fuller on the legs next ball and Burger fends it on leg-side. The ball goes off Burger’s thigh pad and into the hands of the short-leg fielder. Stifled appeal but the Indians know there isn’t much merit in reviewing this. 

OUT! Rabada smashes the ball straight to the mid-off fielder and Prasidh Krishna has his first wicket. Lungi Ngidi is the last man in. SA leads by 64 runs. Ngidi is off the mark with a single as he guides this behind point. Burger has a waft outside off and misses. Prasidh ends the over with a full toss and allows Burger to take a single. 

Kagiso Rabada c Sharma b Prasidh 2 (12b)

Siraj reintroduced. Full and straight and Markram smashes it straight back for a four. Markram wants more. Length ball and Markram attempts a hoick to the leg side. Edged and it is a skier. Rohit makes a safe catch and that is the end of a memorable innings from Markram. 

Aiden Markram c Sharma b Mohammed Siraj 106 (103b 17x4 2x6)

SA 162/8 in 32 overs

Rohit trusts Prasidh with another over, despite the happenings of the last over. He has Rabada on strike and starts with a string of dot balls. Rabada plays out a maiden, offering not many chances to Prasidh. 

Bumrah with the ball and to South Africa’s delight, Rabada takes an easy single off the first ball to bring Markram on strike. Markram has now started to farm the strike. Short and wide from Bumrah and Markram guides it over covers for a four. Back of a length and Markram nudges it behind point for a four and that is his 100. A magnificent knock from the South African opener. 

Prasidh gets a crack now. Short and on the body against Markram, who goes after it.. Not in complete control. But it is a four behind the square. Another short one and this time Markram gets hold off it. BOOM! SIX!! Out of the ground.

Full from Praisdh now and it is whacked away for a six, straight down the ground. On the pads and it is clipped away for a four. 20-run over for South Africa. 

Sixth over on the trot from Bumrah. DROPPED!!! Extra bounce from Bumrah and Markram edges it. It is an over-the-shoulder catch for Rahul. But somehow, inexplicably, Rahul spills a regulation effort. Bumrah can’t believe it. 

Siraj gets his first over of the day. On the pads first ball and Markram times it well enough for a couple. He goes one better next ball. Once again, too straight from Siraj. Markram whacks it over mid on for a four. Now Siraj goes wide and short and Markram cuts it off his back foot for another four. 

Bumrah has Maharaj in his sights now. Starts by squeezing one past a dead straight bat from Maharaj. Now it is a fuller one and Maharaj throws his bat at it. Edged and gobbled up by Jaiswal at gully. And that is the ninth Test fifer for Bumrah. 

Keshav Maharaj c Jaiswal b Bumrah 3 (4b 0x4 0x6)

SA 117/7 in 26 overs

Rohit persists with Mukesh. Markram on strike. He is the big scalp for India now. Good length ball from Mukesh and Markram leaves it. Nips back inside and it misses the off stump by not too much. Full from Mukesh and Maharaj drives it on the up straight down the track. Three runs to get off the mark. Short from Mukesh and Markram latches onto it. Pulled away for a four. 

Another over for Bumrah. Markram edges one behind point to add a couple and that gifts South Africa the lead in the Test match. Length ball outside the off and Markram edges it again. Zooms just over the head of Jaiswal at gully. FOUR!!

But Bumrah isn’t to be denied. Full and straight now. Jansen is tempted and goes at it. Thumps it straight back at Bumrah, who takes a superb return catch. 

Marco Jansen c & b Bumrah 11 (9b 2x4 0x6)

SA 103/6 in 24 overs

Unplayable stuff!! Mukesh with one on good length. It lifts off from there, flies past Markram’s outside edge, close to his handle and nestles in Rahul’s gloves. Mukesh goes full now and Markram crashes it through the covers for a four and that is his fifty. 

Back of a length and Verreynne attempts a half-hearted pull shot. Edged and it is an easy catch for Siraj at mid on. South Africa on the backfoot again. 

Kyle Verreynne c Mohammed Siraj b Bumrah 9 (7b 1x4 0x6)

SA 91/5 in 22 overs

Verreynne pushes one ahead of point to take a single off the first ball of Mukesh’s over. Full and wide now from Mukesh. Markram flashes at it and it is inches away from his outside edge. On the hips and Markram tucks it away for a four. Length outside off and Markram now drives it for a couple more runs. 

Bumrah continues. Markram on strike. Full from Bumrah to start. Markram fails to put it away through the covers. Bumrah hangs it outside the off stump, off a good length and Markram leaves it. Bumrah repeats the delivery and Markram drives it on the up and gathers a single. Verreynne taps one to the leg side for another single. 

Length from Mukesh and Markram punches it to deep cover for a single. Verreynne is the new batter and he shoulders arms to one that suddenly jags back in. Very close to the off stump.

There seems to be some problem with the landing area. The umpires are taking a look at it. The groundsmen are called in for some urgent repair work. Game halted for a few minutes. And we are back on. 

Mukesh swings one back in again. This time it comes off the inside edge of Verreynne. Runs away for a four past Rahul. 

First over of Day 2. Bumrah with the ball. And straight away he forces a miscue out of Bedingham. Rising one. Top edged over the slip cordon for a four. Good length ball and Bedigham can only play and miss it. 

Now Bumrah pushes it full. Bedingam edges it to Rahul for an easy catch. 

David Bedingham c †Rahul b Bumrah 11 (12b 2x4 0x6)

The heavy roller is being employed on the pitch. Will it make things a little bit easier for the batters today? We will find out shortly. Shaun Pollock reckons the match will end today and isn’t very happy with the pitch. He terms it as ‘incompetence’ on the part of whoever has prepared the track but doesn’t believe it was done intentionally. 

Yes, you read that right! That’s how dramatically the Indian innings capitulated after Virat Kohli and KL Rahul looked to give some stability. This, obviously, came after South Africa was bundled out for 55, the lowest total by a team against India in Tests. 

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SA vs IND: ‘Hit the right areas, wickets will come,’ says Siraj after six-wicket haul

South Africa’s batting consultant Ashwell Prince heaps praises for Mohammed Siraj and “one of the spells of his life.”

A whopping 23 wickets fell on the opening day of the Test, and the match could very well end today, on the second day. You can read the match report here from our correspondent P.K. Ajith Kumar in South Africa, who adds a bit of Shakespearean flavour to the staggering batting collapses we witnessed. 

SA vs IND, 2nd Test: Kohli, Siraj shine as India takes slender lead on Day 1

After limiting South Africa to 55 runs, India was dismissed for 153 runs and finished the day with a 36-run lead after taking three Proteas wickets in the second innings at Newlands Cricket Ground.  

The second day’s play of the second Test between South Africa and India will begin at 1:30 PM IST. The match will be telecast LIVE on the Star Sports Network and it will also be streamed LIVE on the Disney+Hotstar app and website.