Cape Town: A South African team going through one of their toughest transition phase embarrassed a star-studded Indian side with a clinical seven-wicket victory in the third Test here Friday. South Africa this won the three-match series 2-1, after India had won the first game by 113 runs.
The target of 212 wasn’t a tough ask and starting the day at 101 for two, youngsters Keegan Petersen (82, 113b, 10×4) along with Rassie van Der Dussen (41 n o, 95b, 3×4) added 54 runs for the third wicket to seal the match before Temba Bavuma (32 n o, 58b, 5×4) helped in putting the final touches.
Sunil Gavaskar termed it as a ‘Nightmare for India’ as they were not even close to competing in the last two Tests and Dean Elgar’s ear to ear grin and the bear hugs that he shared with his teammates said it all.
It was especially sweet for the hosts who lost premier pacer Anrich Nortje to injury before the series and were then hit by Quinton de Kock’s sudden mid-series retirement.
With this series defeat, India’s record of never having won a Test series in the Rainbow Nation for three decades, remained intact. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the only India captain to have managed a drawn series back in 2010.
It was one of the strongest Indian teams on paper against one of the weakest South African teams on paper. However, the operative word here was ‘on paper’ as Elgar’s unheralded bunch showed a lot of character in punching above their weight and also getting heavily rewarded for their relentless efforts.
The mindless chatter and incessant sledging didn’t bother the likes of Petersen and Van der Dussen as they went about their job in a thoroughly professional manner.
India’s batters were far too dependant on bowlers to bail them out for the past few years. However, this series showed that this attack is human too even though they put their best foot forward, which wasn’t complemented at all by the willow wielders.
The only hope for India was the first spell from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in sultry conditions with the semi-new ball and they did their bit with all sincerity. Petersen was beaten time and again but, in between, scored his runs to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Bumrah, in his second spell, did get one to straighten but Cheteshwar Pujara, enduring a poor series with the bat, dropped a crucial regulation slip catch with the batter on 59. It was Shardul Thakur who finally had the young man played on but by then Petersen had ensured a series win for his team.
It needs to be put as it is. India did not lose the Test because of one DRS that went wrong but for the consistent poor batting throughout the series save the first innings of the first Test. The scores of 202, 223 and 198 is the reason India lost and the second innings effort at both Wanderers and Newlands showed that Indian bowlers could only do as much.
The heavy duty tirade against the host broadcasters ‘Supersport’ w0ith their customised diatribe did not look good in the face of a dismal performance.
Van der Dussen was subjected to intense sledging on the fourth morning and so was Petersen but they remained unfazed. Once Bavuma started hitting those boundaries, the strokes did the answering.
In any case, Kohli’s personal relationship with the BCCI brass is at its lowest ebb, and this loss might just have consequences. To be fair, Kohli didn’t lead the side badly in the two Tests that he led but being good isn’t enough if it’s not winning the side the series. He is the only captain who has now lost two Test series in South Africa.
But a lot has got to do with how India have persisted with two completely out of sorts middle-order players. Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are no longer bringing any value to the team and they are unlikely to retain their places in the time to come.
Yes, the transition phase ought to start and it better be soon.
Brief scores: India 223 and 198 lost to South Africa 210 and 212 for 3 (Keegan Petersen 82, Rassie van Der Dussen 41 n o, Temba Bavuma 32 n o) by seven wickets.