India’s hopes of Test series win in South Africa will remain a dream it seems . This scenario appears likely as poor batting once again let India down when it mattered most . Indian batting-lineup managed only 131 in 34.1 overs in the second innings ( 1st Innings was mere 245) after South Africa managed a handsome 408 in its first innings to take control of the game .
South Africa thus took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series and India’s dreams of winning a Test series in Rainbow Nation for the first time in 31 years lay in tatters.
Only redemption now could be 1-1 draw if they managed to square the series during the New Year’s Test in Cape Town.
Indian team put up a shoddy batting show, which signified its cluelessness and singular lack of preparedness for a tough assignment like this.
The incomparable Kagiso Rabada (2/32 in 12 overs) along with left-arm seamers Nandre Burger (4/33 in 10) and Marco Jansen (3/36 in 7.1 overs) made the Indian batters hop, skip and jump as the capacity crowd enjoying their Christmas and New Year’s vacation lapped up every moment of action with great enthusiasm.
Proteas pace trio of Nandre Burger (4/33), Kagiso Rabada (2/32) and Marco Jansen (3/36) then smothered the visitors with a disciplined attack.
South Africa managed 408 in the first innings as Indians gave a lovely “farewell present” to Dean Elgar, who played an uncharacteristically attacking innings of 185 in his penultimate Test.
Even Marco Jansen (84 not out off 147 balls) made merry on a track where fast bowlers would have been licking their fingers.
With 163 runs in arrears, there was little chance of survival on a track where the ball was flying around and also jagging a fair bit.
Once Elgar and Jansen batted India out of the match, least one expected was a decent fightback but save Virat Kohli (76), who showed why he is cut above the rest in terms of technique and temperament, others were found wanting. He was the only one, who could partially conquer the bounce and got his body behind the line to cover the seam movement and also rode the bounce to get his 12 boundaries and a six.
The Indian bowlers were even more disappointing on the third morning with Shardul Thakur (1/101 in 19 overs) and Prasidh Krishna (1/93 in 20 overs) spraying all over the place, only to be mercilessly punished by the former Proteas skipper Elgar and Jansen.
The pair drove, pulled, cut at will and neither the old ball nor the semi-new ball could bring about any change in fortune for the visiting team bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah (4/69 in 26.4 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (2/91 in 24 overs) once again were unlucky as they repeatedly beat the bat of Elgar and Jansen but didn’t have the rub of the green going their way.
Prasidh and Thakur were not only below-par but also missed both line and length.
