India and South Africa are playing a three-match Test series that got underway in Vizag on Wednesday. The two sides share a rich history of Test match rivalry. Fans have been treated with many delights over the years when these two sides got together and were engulfed in the longest format of the game home and away.
Like previous occasions, the 2019 Test series also got off to a good start. Team India saw Rohit Sharma smash an unbeaten century (115*) on Day 1 of the first Test. Mayank Agarwal (84*) also chipped in with the goods. India raced to 202/0 before rain hampered the day’s play. One expects to see an intense Test match on offer as the hope lingers on rain staying away.
This Test series is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship and there is a lot at stake for both teams wanting to dictate the show and collect maximum points on offer.
India will be wanting to maximize their points in the World Test Championship after winning the two-match Test series against Windies recently. For South Africa, they begin their World Test Championship journey
Coming back to the two sides, we list the most influential India vs South Africa Test matches over the years.
India earn a stellar consolation victory in 2018
India vs South Africa Test matches in South Africa in 2018 saw the hosts pull off two crucial wins in the first two games and take the series. However, the Proteas also had the upper hand in the final Test match at Johannesburg and were on the verge of a clean sweep.
But there was a surprise in store as the visitors clinched an unlikely win to take some shine away from the Proteas. India managed scores of 187 and 247 to set a get-table target of 241 for the hosts. In the first innings, SA scored 194 in reply to India’s total. And in the second, they got off to a strong start and were 124/1 and very much in control.
However, Mohammed Shami’s 5/28 changed the game and India sealed a 63-run victory. SA succumbed under pressure to hand India the win. The match will be remembered for Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s heroics with the bat. He scored important figures of 30 and 33 to bail out India in crucial moments across both innings.
Dale Steyn’s heroics stun India in Nagpur in 2010
In the 2010 series in India vs South Africa Test matches, the Proteas won the first Test at Nagpur after a brilliant all-round show. This was a Test match that had one team all over the other with both bat and ball. To see a visiting side come and dominate in such a fashion was pretty remarkable.
Batting first, SA scored 558/6 after Hashim Amla (253) and Jacques Kallis (173) rocked India. It was vintage display from two superb Test players Their excellent reaction against Indian spinners set up the Test in a grand manner. In reply, India was bowled out for 233. It was Dale Steyn (7/51), whose heroics helped SA ripped apart the line-up.
It was one of the best fast-bowling displays on the Indian sub-continent and also in the world. Steyn’s raw pace and movement stunned the Indians as they failed to negotiate the offerings Steyn had in store. Following on, India managed 319/10 to lose by an innings and six runs.
SA ride on Kallis and Steyn to win Durban Test in 2013
After the first Test was drawn, both South Africa and India needed a win to seal the series in this two-match affair in 2013. The second Test between India vs South Africa was held in Durban which has never been a happy hunting ground for Team India. Batting first, India scored 334. They were 198/1 at one stage and were reduced to 199/4 in no time.
It was Steyn’s 6/100 that made the difference which included the key wickets of Murali Vijay (97) and Cheteshwar Pujara (70) that changed the complexion of the match. SA replied with a total of 500. Jacques Kallis (115) led the charge with AB de Villiers (74) and the lower middle-order scoring useful runs as well.
Team India managed just 223 in the second innings which saw SA chase down a low target easily and win the series.
India stun SA at Johannesburg in 2006
India stunned South Africa at Johannesburg in the first Test of 2006 at India vs South Africa Test matches. This was a big moment for the touring Indian side. Batting first, Sourav Ganguly’s 51 helped India get to a decent 249. Ganguly, who returned to the Test team, made his presence felt with a gritty knock against a quality Proteas attack.
In reply, SA was stunned by a superb bowling display by India to be bowled out for 84. It was S Sreesanth, whose 5/40 made the hosts collapse. India benefited from VVS Laxman’s 73 in the second innings to post 236. That saw the visitors set a target just above the 400-run mark.
SA managed just 278 to surrender the match by 123 runs. Notably, this was India’s maiden Test match victory on South African soil. It was a special Test in many ways.