After a whirlwind five-session thriller at Newlands, India chased down a modest target of 79 runs to secure a seven-wicket victory over South Africa and level the two-match series 1-1.
This extraordinary match, completed in just 642 deliveries, stands as the shortest ever Test to produce a result, surpassing Australia’s 656-ball triumph over South Africa in 1932.
Rohit Sharma’s men launched a calculated chase on a tricky wicket, reaching their target for the loss of three wickets. Rohit himself remained unbeaten on 16, while Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed useful scores of 4 and 28 respectively.
Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli both fell early, prompting concerns about the pitch’s behavior.
The Newlands surface has undoubtedly raised eyebrows, its unpredictable nature contributing to the astonishing brevity of the match. This rapid conclusion will inevitably invite scrutiny and discussion about pitch preparation going forward.
“It’s a fantastic achievement, but we have to learn from our mistakes in the first Test,” acknowledged Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
He further commended his bowlers for their relentless accuracy, highlighting the challenges of playing away from home and expressing pride in his team’s performance on foreign soil.
South Africa, who opted to bat first, will rue their dismal first innings where they were skittled out for a paltry 55 on the opening day.
They briefly threatened a comeback by dismissing India for 153, including a bizarre six-wicket collapse for no runs, an unprecedented occurrence in Test history.
However, Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the hero for India, claiming a devastating 6-61 to skittle out the Proteas for 176 just before lunch on the second day.
Bumrah’s masterful spell, combined with some questionable shot selection from South Africa’s batsmen, paved the way for India’s decisive victory.
