The Dean Elgar-led South African side triumphed over a superior on-paper Indian side led by Virat Kohli in the third Test match of the series to win not only the match but also the series. While India had started off well by winning in Centurion, Proteas hit back in Johannesburg and completed their revival in Cape Town, to pocket series 2-1.
Resuming on day four at 101/2, Keegan Petersen and Temba Bavuma frustrated the Indian bowling attack adding 54 runs for the third wicket. Petersen led a charmed life, getting a reprieve from Cheteshwar Pujara who dropped a regulation chance in slips.
Meanwhile, he continued on to make 82 runs with 10 fours, before falling to Shardul Thakur, as he chopped the ball onto his stumps.
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Then Temba Bavuma (41*) took over and with Rassie van der Dussen (32*) took the South African team past the finishing line and won the match with 7 wickets to spare. With this win, South Africa also took the series 2-1.
The Indian team will rue the failure of their middle order, who did well in patches. Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane all scored one fifty each in the series but then failed to carry on for a huge score.
Kohli applied himself in the third Test well, but Pujara and Rahane failed to justify the long rope given to them by the team management.
The Indian bowlers were amazing and gave their South African counterparts a run for their money, especially the trio of Bumrah and Shami starred well with Shardul Thakur putting in gutsy performances.
However, Indian batting couldn’t do much against Rabada, Jansen, and Ngidi, and hence India lost a golden chance to win their maiden Test series in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the cricket fraternity was all praises for the home team and lauded them for coming back from losing the first Test and winning the series.
Here are some of the tweets:
