One-and-a-half days, 107 overs: India win shortest Test in 90 yrs, draw series with South Africa | Cricket News

IN THE end, it felt like a win-win for both teams. Indian captain Rohit Sharma roared like he has seldom done in the past when the match-winning and series-levelling hit came in the second Test in Cape Town. There was the relief of not losing the series but the 1-1 result also meant that South Africa still remained Indian cricket’s “last frontier”. As for South Africa, they too had reasons to celebrate. Dean Elgar, their most pugnacious batsman of the last decade, was retiring after this game.India was humbled in the first Test but would, at least, leave South Africa without being embarrassed, and also with a slice of hory, regering their first Test win in Cape Town after trying for years. A game that was done and dusted in one-and-a-half days, that lasted just 107 overs — less time than needed to binge-watch a season of an OTT show. In terms of deliveries bowled, this was the shortest Test match in 90 years.
After the game, Rohit talked about the challenge of winning on these shores. “When you come to this part of the world, it’s always difficult but we take pride in our performance outside of India. South Africa always challenges us, and for us to come out here and win, we can take pride in this performance,” he said.
Though India, in the fourth inning, needed to cross the 79-run target for a win, it wasn’t easy. There are two ways to chase down a small total. India chose the quickest route, a sensible choice on a pitch where the ball still kept climbing steeply from a length.

2⃣ Tests1⃣2⃣ Wickets @Jaspritbumrah93 led the charge with the ball for #TeamIndia & shared the Player of the Series award with Dean Elgar 🙌 🙌#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/emy6644GXh
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 4, 2024
They also had a ringside view of how to go about doing it from the South African opener Aiden Markram, who bellowed a sensational 103-ball 106, one for the ages. And off went Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma swinging their blades. Eventually, India won 7 wickets just after lunch on Day 2.

Even before the first ball of this series was bowled, the tour was hyped as India’s best chance to defeat South Africa in their own den. Amnesia rules in the hype world, and lessons from past bruises are brushed off as mere specks in the wheels of time. The last series, they struggled with the bat to put up decent targets in a couple of Tests.
Standing in India’s way of a horic triumph in the first Test was Elgar, whose 185 at Centurion was the most flamboyant knock of his career, unshackling years of abstinence. India’s bowling fell apart, and the batting that had already been exposed in the first innings crumbled in the second innings.
But as they have done in the past, India showed they have a way of picking themselves up after soaking up the first blow. They have done it in Australia, where they went from 36 all-out in Adelaide to a great series triumph in Brisbane with half of their chief players absent. They have gone from crashing to England in Chennai 227 runs to crushing them 3-1 in early 2021. They have brushed off the innings defeat at Leeds to beat England 157 runs at The Oval in 2021.

And this time, they were in for a bit of luck and help from South Africa. On a pitch with steep bounce, the hosts picked a team with the wicket-keeper batting way high at No.6, an eyebrow-raising move considering the presence of a bunch of inexperienced batsmen. South Africa also chose to bat first. Perhaps, the toss decision was a result of misreading the track, or bravado after winning the first Test – or a bit of both.

#JaspritBumrah cemented his credentials as one of the finest Test bowlers in world cricket, with a superb 6/61 to set up a manageable target for #TeamIndia!
Relive his awesome spell here!#Cricket #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/UatZc0dw
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 4, 2024
And once they were shot out for 55 Mohammad Siraj, who picked his third five-wicket haul and his best Test figures, and Jasprit Bumrah, there was only one result possible. Though India did try their best to make the game more interesting, losing six wickets for zero runs in their first innings, the 98-run lead was more than enough on this track.
A moving final frame brought down curtains to the series. Rohit walked over to hand a signed jersey from the Indian team to Elgar, who had just become a former Test cricketer. For the romantics, it’s as good a moment as any to remember the series. Though, the reals among the fans of both teams would possibly wring their hands at the missed opportunities.