SA v IND, 1st Test: Virat Kohli fight ends in vain as India surrender to innings defeat in Centurion on Day 3

India had arrived in South Africa with high hopes of conquering their “final frontier”, but Rohit Sharma’s men came up with one of their poorest performances in a Test match in recent memory.

South Africa hammered India by an innings and 32 runs as the Boxing Day Test finished in just 3 days. Virat Kohli held the fort with a steely 76 in the third innings, but the rest of the batting unit looked clueless against a fired-up South African pace attack, led by experienced Kagiso Rabada and debutant Nandre Burger, who finished with figures of 4 for 33. India lasted only 34.1 overs in the 3rd innings as they folded meekly in one of the most timid batting shows by the Test team in the recent past. They managed just 131 runs as South Africa pacers ran riot.

It looked like the SuperSport Park pitch played differently for the two teams as the South African pacers got plenty of purchase in both innings. India’s bowling attack, largely dependent on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, looked flat as debutant Prasidh Krishna and all-rounder Shardul Thakur leaked aplenty.

KL Rahul’s hundred in the first innings was a bright spot, but a collective failure from the batting unit can’t be overlooked. On the other hand, Dean Elgar, playing his penultimate Test, hit a sensational 185 while all-rounder Marco Jansen hit 84 not out as South Africa posted 408 in the first innings.

Captain Temba Bavuma, who suffered a hamstring injury, did not bat in their first innings, but Cricket South Africa said on Thursday evening that he would bat, if required in the final innings. However, his services were not needed by the hosts after India’s shocking batting display on Day 3.

5 LOSSES ON THE TROT IN SENA
India’s proud record of being one of the finest travelers seems a distant past as the Asian giants have lost 5 Tests in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries on the trot. Virat Kohli, who was battling hard on Thursday at SuperSport Park, remains the last India captain to lead the team to a victory in a SENA Test.

India were timid with bat, ball and on the field as Rohit Sharma’s side looked in complete contrast to the one that he led in the World Cup a few weeks ago. In his first Test as captain in South Africa, India suffered one of their most humbling defeats.

India have never won a Test series in South Africa since their first tour of 1992 and the record will remain intact in the ongoing 2-Test series. India have managed to win only 4 out of 24 Tests in the Rainbow Nation.

WHAT HAPPENED ON DAY 5?
India began the day with renewed hopes of bundling out South Africa early as the visitors had lost two late wickets and managed just a 11-run lead. However, Dean Elgar continued his run-scoring form, adding 45 runs to his overnight tally of 140.

Elgar looked in complete control once again as India’s body language in the first session looked flat. It seemed as if captain Rohit Sharma was waiting for things to happen, rather than being proactive and making things happen.

Once again South Africa went on the offensive after seeing off the first spell from Bumrah and SIraj, knowing that the likes of Prasidh and Shardul lacked control.

Elgar and Jansen added 100 more runs to their partnership as they put South Africa in a position of strength in what proved to be a decisive stand for the 6th wicket. Jansen fed on ordinary bowling from India, notching up his highest Test score of 84.

Elgar was gutted and frustrated when he was out for 185 to a short delivery from Shardul Thakur. The Centurion crowd gave a standing ovatioin to the local hero, who made merry in his penultimate Test match.

Janssen contiued the charge and had company from Gerald Coetzee as India were not able to stem the run flow. South Africa’s innings ended on 408 as Bavuma was not able to come out to bat and offer support to Jansen to help him get to his maiden Tes hundred.

INDIA’S BATTING FLOP SHOW!
Barring Kohli and Shubman Gill, none of the other Indian batters got to double digits in one of the most insipid batting shows. It all began when Kagiso Rabada bowled a ripper in his second over to dismiss captain Rohit Sharma for 0.

Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early as well as debutant Nandre Burger got the ball to rip off a good length.

Kohli and Gill added 39 runs for the third wicket but the latter, who had the rub of green going his way was not able to capitalise on it. Gill fell for 26 to Marco Jansen, following which the procession started.

Virat Kohli lost partners at some pace as none of the Indian batters were able to withstand the pressure put on them by the South African fast bowler. Shreyas Iyer did not trouble the scorers much before he was bowled by Marco Jansen.

Nandre Burger then struck gold with the wickets of first innings centurion, KL Rahul, who was caught at slip while trying to drive a deliery on good length, and R Ashwin for 0.

Kohli ran out of partners very quickly and it was evident that panic had set in the Indian camp when Jasprit Bumrah was run-out for 0.

Kohli went for some big hits in a bid to help India avoid an innings defeat, but he fell to Jansen in the 32nd ovver.

While Rabada stood out with his 5-wicket haul in the first innings, it was Burger who shone on debut with a 7-wicket match haul.

The two teams will meet in the New Year’s Test, starting January 3 and India will be looking to bounce back and level the series. It will be not be aasy as India have never tasted success in Cape Town in Test cricket.