The new-found bowling might of India came shining through at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, as the quartet of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, M. Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma bowled an incisive, relentless spell of fast bowling in the post-tea session to skittle out the host middle order and lead India to a consolation victory by 63 runs. The Proteas lost nine for 53 to finish the series with a defeat.
Shami took five for 28, while Bumrah and Ishant took two wickets apiece and Bhuvneshwar chipped in with a wicket. Dean Elgar top-scored for the Proteas with an unbeaten 86*, his best batting effort in this series but one which ultimately came in a losing cause.
Below are the key stats from India's win:
- India remains unbeaten in five Tests at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, winning two (2006 and 2017) and drawing the other three (1992, 1997 and 2013). This is now India's third Test win on South Africa soil.
- However, India's wait for a Test series win in South Africa goes on, having now failed on the seventh tour to the country since 1992. (The best result India has managed is a 1-1 draw in a three-Test series in 2010-11.)
- Virat Kohli surpassed M. S. Dhoni's tally of 3454 runs as Indian captain in Test cricket when he contributed a vital 41 in the second innings here, thereby taking his run tally as Indian captain to 3456.
- The Indian captain also finished the series as the highest run-scorer from the two teams, with 286 runs, the previous best being Sachin Tendulkar's 241 runs in a three-Test series in 1996-97.
- M. Shami's five for 28 in the second innings here is now his best bowling performance in a Test innings, bettering his five for 47 on his Test debut against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in 2013.
Comments
SHARE