The Indian cricket team managed to level the 2-match test series against South Africa by winning the second test match by 7 wickets but what makes this test match stand apart from other test matches is the fact that it was the shortest completed test match which ended within two days.
The pitch of Newlands Cricket Ground was heaven for pacers as 23 dismissals were carried out on the first day of the test match and 10 wickets were taken on the second day. Moreover, both the teams didn’t even use their spinners in the complete match.
The toss was won by the South African skipper Dean Elgar who was playing the last test match of his career and he chose to bat first. However, the decision proved to be quite disastrous for the Proteas as the whole team was out for just 55 runs which is the lowest ever total by South Africa against India. In response, the Indian team played a little better than the hosts and scored 153 runs in their first innings. The Proteas played far better than their first innings and put up a score of 176 runs with the help of brilliant knock by Aiden Markram (106 runs). The Indian team needed 79 runs to win the test match which it scored in 12 overs with seven wickets in hand and Rohit Sharma became the second Indian skipper after MS Dhoni to level the series in South Africa.
Whenever test matches have ended in 2-3 days in India, the foreign former cricketers and experts have shouted at the top of their voices and slammed the Indian pitches but now when the similar thing has happened in South Africa, most of the overseas cricket fraternity is silent.
The former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag took a jibe at foreign former cricketers and experts as he tweeted, “Aap karo toh Chamatkar..Hum karein toh pitch bekaar. 107 overs – Test Match over. Also proves, anything there for the fast bowlers, we are more threatening with our quality. Bumrah and Siraj were spectacular and a good beginning to 2024.”
Aap karo toh Chamatkar..
Hum karein toh pitch bekaar.
107 overs – Test Match over.
Also proves , anything there for the fast bowlers, we are more threatening with our quality.
Bumrah and Siraj were spectacular and a good beginning to 2024.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 4, 2024
Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary former Indian cricketer was also full of praises for the Indian team and pacers. He tweeted, “Congratulations to #TeamIndia for levelling the series! Markram’s approach was fantastic because sometimes attack is the best form of defence on a pitch like this. Well bowled by Bumrah, who showed us exactly, how bowling in the channel consistently is all that’s required on such type of wickets.”
Congratulations to #TeamIndia for levelling the series!
Markram’s approach was fantastic because sometimes attack is the best form of defence on a pitch like this.
Well bowled by Bumrah, who showed us exactly, how bowling in the channel consistently is all that’s required on such… pic.twitter.com/e1HDLq0IgR— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 4, 2024
While Mohammed Siraj was adjudged as the Player of the Match, the Player of the Series award went to Dean Elgar.
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