Team India has completely outplayed South Africa by innings and 202 runs in the third and final Test to sweep the three-match series. With the win, India registered their first-ever whitewash over the Proteas in the Test cricket. The win was a mere formality when South Africa started the day on 132 for 8, still trailing India’s first innings total of 497 for 9 by 203 runs.
The beleaguered visiting team was all out for a paltry 162 in their first innings and Virat Kohli did not hesitate in enforcing the follow-on for the second game in a row. South Africa started their first innings in a terrible manner and were reeling at 16 for 3. But Zubayr Hamza and Temba Bavuma stopped the rot and showed some much-needed fight.
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Hamza was one of only three South Africa batsmen to make double figures in the Proteas’ first innings, alongside George Linde (37) and Bavuma (32). With Hamza and Bavuma looking comfortable, they were looking good for a big partnership, but both departed in quick succession to leave South Africa reeling at 107 for 5. The Proteas could not recover from those setbacks and were all out for 162.
South Africa’s horrific batting display in the series continued in the second innings too. While everyone was expecting them to show some fight in their last outing on the tour, they failed miserably. The visitors lost half of the team in just 36 runs on the board. India pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav ran through their batsmen with the new ball.
At one stage, it looked like India would wrap up the game on Day 3 itself. However, the lower-order provided some resistance to delay the inevitable. But it took hardly two over for India to bundle out the Proteas on day four. In just the second over of the day, debutant Shahbaz Nadeem accounted for Theunis de Bruyn and Lungi Ngidi on consecutive deliveries to power India to a huge win.
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The win helped India maintain their hundred percent start to the ICC Test Championship. On the other hand, South Africa are yet to open their account. Rohit Sharma got the man of the match and man of the series award for scoring Meanwhile, Twitter was quick to react to the closing proceedings in Ranchi. Here are some of the reactions on India’s win:
Unstoppable team India! Congratulations on the 3-0 win! Maybe for the 3rd test we should have played mixed teams. Shami bowling to Virat..Ashwin to Rohit…Would have been more fun than this one sided dominance! #INDvSA
— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) October 22, 2019
Indian Cricket in the Last 5 years have seen slow ,steady & fantastic changes which can literally move mountains #INDvSA #BCCI
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) October 22, 2019
This is domination of a different kind…Didn’t lose ten wickets in an innings even once. Only one match went into the fifth day. Three different double centurions. Fast bowlers took 26 to spinners’ 32. Plenty to applaud. Well done, 🇮🇳 #IndvSA
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 22, 2019
Incredible test series for @BCCI Congratulations 👏👏👏#INDvSA For @OfficialCSA forgettable as ever .. nothing went right . .. just as the last wicket of the series 🤦🏻♂️
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) October 22, 2019
Great white wash from team India vs South Africa… #INDvSA 👏👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 22, 2019
Faf Du Plessis: They are far better than us in spin department…..fast bowling department and batting department.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 22, 2019
11th straight series win at home for #TeamIndia 🙌🙌
Upwards & onwards from here on 🇮🇳🇮🇳😎👌 @Paytm #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/kPHAiiDdo0— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2019
For those saying that this #Protea team is not that great, let’s accept that our Indian is very very good…
Well played lads 👏🏽👏🏽🇮🇳🇮🇳👏🏽👏🏽#INDvsSA
— atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) October 22, 2019
India in last 11 home test series:
4-0 vs Australia.
2-0 vs West Indies.
3-0 vs South Africa.
3-0 vs New Zealand.
4-0 vs England.
1-0 vs Bangladesh.
2-1 vs Australia.
1-0 vs Sri Lanka.
1-0 vs Afghanistan.
2-0 vs West Indies.
3-0 vs South Africa. #INDvSA— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 22, 2019
World Test Championship – Points Table:
Ind – 240 (5 mat)
NZ – 60 (2)
SL – 60 (2)
Eng – 56 (5)
Aus – 56 (5)
WI – 0 (2)
SA – 0 (3)Who will challenge India for the top position?#IndvSA
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 22, 2019
.@RaviShastriOfc: When you need to open in Tests, you might get out in the first 10 balls. But Rohit did well to hang in there. The job satisfaction that an opener gets is wonderful.#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #INDvSA
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 22, 2019
Successive H2H Test victories #IndvSA #IndvsSA
4 – India (Jan 2018 to Oct 2019)
3 – South Africa (Feb 2000 to Nov 2001)— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) October 22, 2019
Story of the series: India's seamers out-bowl South Africa's counterparts and India's spinners
India's seamers: 26 wkts | Avg 17.50 | SR 35.2
South Africa's seamers: 10 wkts | Avg 70.20 | SR 131.7
India's spinners: 32 wkts | Avg 27.18 | SR 59.9#INDvSA
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 22, 2019
All the talk of teams "acclimatising/improving" as they spend more time in an away series is trashed for the umpteenth time as South Africa are condemned to their heaviest defeat of the series in the third and final Test! #INDvSA
— Emmad Hameed (@Emmad81) October 22, 2019
Music director: Can you sing in low pitch?
Atif Aslam: pic.twitter.com/i81ifeKc87
— Karan Talwar (@BollywoodGandu) October 22, 2019
