South Africa tame India in Boxing Day Test (Centurion): Stats
South Africa beat India by an innings and 32 runs in the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. The Proteas scored a mammoth 408 in response to India's 245 after electing to field. India perished for 131 on Day 3, with Virat Kohli being the lone warrior (76). Dean Elgar and KL Rahul were the centurions, while Kagiso Rabada took a ferocious first-innings fifer.
A look at the match summary
India were down to 24/3 being put in to bat. Kohli and Shreyas Iyer rescued them but to no avail. KL Rahul's ton helped India cross 200 (245). Rabada took a five-wicket haul. SA also suffered an early blow, but Elgar and David Bedingham steadied the ship. Marco Jansen took them past 400. India were bowled out in just 34.1 overs on Day 3.
Elgar smashed his 14th Test century on Day 2
Elgar's masterclass put SA on top. He lost his opening partner Aiden Markram early. The former then added 97 runs along with top-order batter Tony de Zorzi. Elgar continued with his exploits despite losing de Zorzi and Keegan Petersen in quick succession. He reached his 14th Test century off just 140 balls. Elgar returned unbeaten on Day 2, with SA gaining a first-innings lead.
Elgar resumed and marched on
South Africa resumed with their overnight score of 256/5, with Elgar (140*) and Jansen (3*) in the middle. The duo survived a lethal first hour while also punishing the poor deliveries. Elgar and Jansen propelled the Proteas past 350 with ease in the first session. Shardul Thakur dismissed Elgar against the run of play in the 95th over. The latter managed 185(287).
His highest Test score against India
Elgar recorded his highest score against India in Test cricket. His previous highest Test score against them came in Vizag in 2019 (160). Elgar's 185 is also his second-highest score in Test cricket, only behind 199 against Bangladesh in 2017. Notably, Elgar is four short of completing 1,000 runs against India in Tests. He will become the fourth SA player with this feat.
Most fours by Elgar in a Test innings
Elgar smashed a total of 28 fours in his knock. These are the most boundaries (fours) hammered by him in a Test innings. His previous highest mark in this regard was 24.
Bedingham slammed fifty on debut
Bedingham slammed a fine half-century on his Test debut. He came to the middle after SA lost de Zorzi and Petersen in quick succession (113/3). The debutant showed positive intent and took SA past 240 along with Elgar. Siraj knocked over Bedingham in the 61st over. He smashed 56 off 87 balls (7 fours and 2 sixes). Bedingham also completed 6,000 First-Class runs.
Jansen's career-best Test score
Jansen tormented the Indian bowling attack on Day 3. Besides sharing a century-plus stand with Elgar for the sixth wicket, he slammed his second half-century in Test cricket. Jansen single-handedly took SA past 400, with Gerald Coetzee contributing 18. Jansen scored a 147-ball 84* (11 fours and 1 six). This was Jansen's career-best score in the format.
A superb fifer from Rabada; 500 international wickets
Rabada was the star for South Africa on Day 1. The right-arm seamer demolished the Indian batting attack, taking a superb five-wicket haul. He took five wickets for 59 runs in 20 overs, including four maidens. Notably, Rabada registered his maiden five-wicket haul against India in Test cricket. Rabada also completed 500 international wickets. He is the seventh SA bowler with this feat.
Another feather in the cap
Rabada now has a Test fifer against each of the Test-playing nations (whom he faced) except Pakistan and Zimbabwe. His Test fifers - vs Australia (3), Bangladesh (2), England (4), India (1), New Zealand (1), Sri Lanka (1), and West Indies (2).
Rahul's eighth Test century
Rahul starred with a remarkable century in India's only innings. He arrived as India were reduced to 92/4. Rahul soon lost Kohli, with India reaching 100. He then stitched crucial partnerships with R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur to take India past 160. Despite losing partners, Rahul returned unbeaten on 70 (Day 1). He completed his eighth Test century the following day (133 balls).
Multiple Test tons in SA
Rahul has become the third Indian with multiple centuries in South Africa in Test cricket. He smashed a 137-ball 101 (14 fours and 4 sixes). Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar hammered five Test tons in the Rainbow Nation, while Kohli has two hundreds in this regard. Eight other Indian batters have scored a ton in the format in South Africa.
First visiting batter with two Test tons in Centurion
Rahul has become the first-ever visiting batter with more than one Test century at the SuperSport Park, Centurion. Tendulkar and Kohli are the only Indian batters to have slammed a ton at this venue in the format.
A fighting 76 from Kohli
Kohli was clearly the lone warrior for India in the 2nd innings. He was one of only two Indian batters to have reached double figures. While no other batter assisted Kohli, he slammed an 82-ball 76 (12 fours and 1 six). The Indian batter scored his 30th Test fifty. Kohli smashed a counter-attacking 38 in the 1st innings.
Second-most Test runs for India against SA
Kohli is now India's second-highest run-scorer against South Africa in Test cricket. He surpassed Virender Sehwag, who smashed 1,306 runs from 15 Tests against the Proteas in the format. One of Sehwag's two triple-tons also came against SA. Kohli is now only behind Tendulkar, the only Indian batter with over 1,700 runs (1,741) against the Proteas in the format.
A look at other notable records
India have now lost their last five Tests in SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). This was India's third innings defeat in Test cricket since the start of 2015. Nandre Burger, who made his Test debut in Centurion, bagged figures worth 3/50 and 4/33 in the two innings respectively. Kohli completed 11,000 runs in First-Class cricket.
