New Delhi: South Africa delivered a stunning performance to beat India by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test of the two-match series at Centurion on Monday. The hosts bowled out India for 131 runs in their second innings, after taking a massive lead of 163 runs in the first innings. The match ended in just three days, giving South Africa an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.
India, who had never won a Test series in South Africa, came into the tour with high hopes and confidence. However, they were outplayed in all departments by the hosts, who dominated the game from the start. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to field first, unleashing his pace attack on the Indian batsmen.
Kagiso Rabada was the star of the show, as he claimed five wickets for 59 runs in the first innings, including the prized scalp of India captain Rohit Sharma. He was well supported by Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, and Marco Jansen, who shared the other five wickets. India was bowled out for 245 runs, with only KL Rahul offering some resistance with a brilliant 123.
South Africa then piled on the runs in their first innings, with opener Dean Elgar leading the way with a magnificent 185. He shared a 156-run stand with Aiden Markram, who made 60, and a 97-run partnership with Rassie van der Dussen, who scored 44. Jansen also chipped in with a quickfire 54 not out, as South Africa declared their innings at 408 for 7, with a lead of 163 runs.
India’s second innings was a disaster, as they lost wickets at regular intervals and never looked like saving the match. Rabada struck again, removing Rohit for a duck and Cheteshwar Pujara for 8. Ngidi and Nortje also picked up two wickets each, while Jansen and Keshav Maharaj took one wicket each. India’s top scorer was Virat Kohli, who made 52, but he could not prevent his team from suffering a humiliating defeat.
The second and final Test of the series will be played in Johannesburg from January 3, 2024. India will have to regroup and bounce back, while South Africa will look to seal the series with another win.
