Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

KL Rahul
KL Rahul
123(260) 17x4 - 1x6
Control %86%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 31 runs
  • 4x4 - 0x6
12 10 3 11 37 11 9 30
D Elgar
D Elgar
77(156) 12x4 - 0x6
Control %82%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 37 runs
  • 5x4 - 0x6
7 13 2 13 22 2 4 14

Best performances - Bowlers

L Ngidi
L Ngidi
O24
M5
R71
W6
Eco2.95
RHB
OFFLEG
1W2W
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami
O16
M5
R44
W5
Eco2.75
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
2W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Match Details

Toss

India , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Series result

India led the 3-match series 1-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.30

Match days

26,27,28,29,30 December 2021 (5-day match)

Test debut

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Points

India 11, South Africa 0

Scorecard Summary

INDIA 327(105.3 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA 197(62.3 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

INDIA 174(50.3 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA 191(68 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: Chandan Duorah | Commentator: Hemant Brar

END OF OVER:
68 | 1 Run 2 Wkts | SA: 191/10

  • Temba Bavuma35 (80b)
  • Ravichandran Ashwin9-2-18-2
  • Mohammed Shami17-3-63-3

So, India finish the year on a high. South Africa have some homework to do. We will have our analysis pieces up soon. Meanwhile, do read Sid Monga's report in case you missed the action, or want to relive another memorable win for India. For now, that's all from my side. See you soon.

KL Rahul is the Player of the Match: It was just grit and determination, I really wanted to get my team off a good start. The opening stand was crucial. It's been more about my mindset, I have worked a little bit on my technique, I worked really hard on my game when I was out of the team for a couple of years. It's all coming together now. The discipline I think is the biggest contributor. Virat just mentioned that our fast bowlers have shown great heart, not just today but over the last two-three years. It's still the first game of the series, we want to take this confidence into the series and win another Test in a few days' time.

Virat Kohli: We got off to the perfect start we wanted to. Getting the result in four days shows how well we played. It's always a difficult place, South Africa, but we were clinical with bat, ball and in the field. A lot of credit goes to Mayank and KL and we were in pole position at 270 for 3 after day one. We had a lot of belief in our bowling unit to get the job done. We spoke about it in the change room. Since he didn't bowl much in the first innings, it helped opposition get those extra runs. Just the way these guys bowl together, it's just a hallmark of our team getting a result from that position. Shami is an absolutely world-class bowler, among top three seam bowlers in the world for me. Very, very happy for him to get 200 wickets and have an impactful performances.

Dean Elgar: It was always going to be a bit tough. We could have executed our lengths better on day one but we fought back after lunch but then we let it slip a little bit after tea. Our bowlers were brilliant after that [on day three]. It was great to restrict India. But with bat in hand, we let ourselves down quite a lot. I say the difference was the batting. I think we can have a little sit down and strategise going forward. I don't think we did a lot wrong.

Time for the presentation ceremony.

Prasanna S: "Overall SA did way better than what it was on day 1. Their bowling attack is on safe hands for future. Batting will take 2 - 3 years to evolve, one can't replace the class of Smith, Amla, Kallis, ABD and Faf overnight. Petersen looks promising and they need to persist with promising youngsters and be patient."

Shohit: "SA not crossing 200 in both innings. "

Ashish: "Toss between Rahul and Shami for the MoM. And I feel it will be Rahul cos run scoring was difficult and he scored a glorious hundred on the opening day."

sanju: "MOM pick might be KL Rahul, as he is the only difference between the two sides and the win margin is his first innings score!"

Ramanujam: "First 40 overs on 1st day is the difference between the 2 sides"

12.50pm At the start of the year, India breached Gabba, they end the year by breaching yet another fortress. Yes, this South African side is going through transition but they are always formidable at home. And when the second day was washed out, many thought a draw was the most likely result. But the Centurion pitch changed its nature, as it does mostly, on day three. Eighteen wickets fell that day, which kind of made up for the lost time. India couldn't score many in their second innings but their first-innings lead meant South Africa were chasing a daunting 305. Elgar fought hard on a difficult pitch and against a relentless Indian attack, Bavuma showed fight as well but that was all the South African batting line-up had to offer. Shami was precise, Siraj energetic and Bumrah magical as India took only 68 overs to wrap up the South African innings. India take 1-0 lead in the series with their first ever Test win at Centurion.

67.6
W
Ashwin to Ngidi, OUT, and it's all over. Tossed up around off, spinning in. Ngidi pushes at it, gets an inside edge and Pujara accepts it gleefully at leg slip. (And no, Ashwin will not be on a hat-trick in the next Test)

L Ngidi c Pujara b Ashwin 0 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Ngidi. Ashwin goes over the wicket

67.5
W
Ashwin to Rabada, OUT, tossed up, slower through the air, shorter in length as well. Rabada once again goes for the drive. Once again he gets the outside edge and this time it loops to the backward point fielder

K Rabada c Mohammed Shami b Ashwin 0 (4m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

67.4
0
Ashwin to Rabada, no run, tossed up outside off, goes for the drive. Gets an outside edge but it lands safe behind point
67.3
0
Ashwin to Rabada, no run, length ball around off, defended on the off side

Around the wicket

67.2
1
Ashwin to Bavuma, 1 run, fuller on the stumps, flicked towards backward square leg
67.1
0
Ashwin to Bavuma, no run, fuller around off, comes forward and blocks

Ashwin from the other end. A slip and catching midwicket

South Africa 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1D ElgarAK Markram
2nd33D ElgarKD Petersen
3rd40D ElgarHE van der Dussen
4th20D ElgarKA Maharaj
5th36D ElgarT Bavuma
6th31T BavumaQ de Kock
7th3T BavumaPWA Mulder
8th26T BavumaM Jansen
9th1T BavumaK Rabada
10th0T BavumaL Ngidi