India wrapped-up victory over South Africa in the first test in Visakhapatnam by 203 runs, as the visitors were bowled out for 191 in their second innings. It means India take a one-nil lead in the series going into the second test which starts on Thursday in Pune.
The writing was on the wall for the visitors going into the last day. India had batted first in the match and set an imposing target of 502 – 7 declared, which South Africa had done extremely well to reply to with their 431 all out, especially as they had been 39 – 3 at one stage.
However, with a first innings lead of 71, India took full advantage on Day 4, and scored a rapid 323 – 4 declared, leaving South Africa an improbable target of 395 to win, with their task made even harder by losing one of their first innings’ heroes, Dean Elgar, before close of play.
Resuming on 11 -1 the South Africans knew they needed to bat well to save the game, but they got off to a bad start, when Theunis de Bruyn was bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin for 10. And, four balls later, Temba Bavuma fell to the pace of Mohammad Shami, clean-bowled for a duck.
Aiden Markram and Faf du Plessis provided brief resistance, adding 32 for the fourth wicket, but then du Plessis also fell to Shami, bowled for 13. Two overs later, Shami claimed the wicket of another of South Africa’s stars with the bat in the first innings, Quinton de Kock, who was bowled without scoring. And then Markram, who had held the innings together, was caught and bowled by Ravindra Jadeja for 39. He had hit one six.
Jadeja then struck twice more in successive. First, he bowled Vernon Philander for a duck, and then repeated the trick with Keshav Maharaj, who was out first ball. At that point the visitors were on 70 – 8 and the day appeared set for an early finish. However, Senuran Muthusamy and Dane Piedt held up proceedings with a defiant ninth wicket stand of 91, led by Piedt who scored his maiden test half-century before he fell to Shami for 56. He had hit one six and 9 fours. And then Muthusamy combined with last man Kagiso Rabada, and they added a further 30, until Rabada was caught behind for 18, giving Shami a fifth wicket. Muthusamy was unbeaten on 49, as South Africa were bowled out for 191.
Shami finished with 5 for 35, whilst Jadeja returned figures of 4 for 87.
