After chasing down 79, the visitors bowled SA out for 55 in the first and 176 in the third innings. In the second innings, they scored 153.
Notably, India won a Test match at Cape Town to become the first Asian team to do it.
In 642 balls, the match came to an end—the quickest Test completion ever.
Why is this story important?
It has been challenging for the touring Test teams to establish themselves in South Africa, sometimes referred to as the “Final Frontier,” over the years.
This time, India had a chance to win their first-ever Test series in the Rainbow Nation. But a setback in Centurion crushed their hopes.
India has only won five Test matches in South Africa thus far.
Boxing Day Test and Centurion Test victories by the third visiting team
During their tour of South Africa in 2021–2022, India only won one Test match. But as it happened, it was historic.
They defeated SA in Centurion to become the third Test-playing country to do so. Notably, India had broken the Proteas’ seven-match winning streak.
Being the captain at the time, Virat Kohli made history by being the only Indian player to win multiple Test matches in South Africa.
A valiant victory on a challenging Johannesburg wicket, 2018
January 2018 saw India’s third Test victory in South Africa. In Johannesburg, Team India under Kohli won by a margin of 63 runs.
In the three-match series, SA held an insurmountable 2-0 lead, but the visitors won a close battle.
On a wicket that was considered “risky” to bat on, the Indian batsmen displayed excellent application.
The Proteas, meanwhile, were unable to track 241.
2010 saw India defeat a legendary South Africa.
There was an eight-year lapse between India’s second and third Test victories in South Africa.
Legends like Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, and Morne Morkel were defeated by India, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
In Durban, India won by 87 runs thanks to VVS Laxman’s 38 and 96 scores in the two innings.
Are you aware?
India’s victory at Newlands, led by Rohit Sharma, is their first while behind in South Africa. They are the first Asian team to win a Test match in Cape Town, as was previously mentioned.