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RESULT
1st Test, Centurion, December 26 - 30, 2021, India tour of South Africa
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327 & 174
(T:305) 197 & 191

India won by 113 runs

Player Of The Match
123 & 23
kl-rahul
Live
Updated 29-Dec-2021 • Published 29-Dec-2021

Live Report - South Africa vs India, 1st men's Test, Centurion, 4th day

By Deivarayan Muthu

India six wickets away from victory

Elgar clips Siraj through square leg for four, but Bumrah yorks nightwatchman Maharaj off what turns out to be the last ball of the day. In pursuit of 305, SA are 94 for 4; India are six away from breaching South Africa's fortress. We will have the full report up on the site shortly. Thanks for tuning in. See you tomorrow
India's irresistible seam attack worked their way around a stubborn Dean Elgar and left the visitors six wickets away from victory at SuperSport Park. In pursuit of 305, South Africa were 94 for 4 at close on a track that was still offering sideways movement and variable bounce.
38
23
21
5

Bumrah castles van der Dussen

Bumrah comes back into the attack and strikes almost immediately, getting one to cut back in sharply to add to his exaggerated angle. Van der Dussen misjudges it, shoulders arms, and watches the ball clank into the top of off stump. With stumps 20 minutes away, Maharaj is sent as the nightwatchman
30
18
35
5

Elgar, van der Dussen hold up India's charge

India's seamers are throwing everything they have at Elgar who has weathered multiple bursts to move to 31 off 70 balls at drinks during the final session. He is stitching up a stubborn stand with van der Dussen who is on 9 off 38 balls. SA are 59 for 2
18
11
16
16

Siraj strikes

In the 13th over, Siraj pinned Petersen on the knee-roll with ball-tracking returning umpire's (not out) call on top of leg stump. In his very next over, Siraj gets his man with a top ball. He follows the nip-backer with the outswinger which squares up Petersen and grazes the outside edge. At the other end, Bumrah is finding sharp bounce from various lengths and troubling Elgar. SA are 34 for 2 in pursuit of 305
Siraj, too, tests Elgar with lifters. After watching the opener glove one over the cordon and then duck under another, he goes fuller and outside off. Elgar is tempted into pushing at it in the channel, but the ball misses the edge. Terrific Test-match bowling from Siraj
29
19
30
10

Tea

After South Africa lost Markram to Shami in the second over of the innings, Elgar and Petersen have briefly blunted the hard new ball to take their team to 22 for 1. The Centurion pitch continues to play tricks and India's quicks are offering the hosts no respite
16
16
9
7

Shami is at it again

After excelling in the first innings, Shami opens the attack with Bumrah, ahead of Siraj. He lures Markram into driving away from the body first ball, but the outside edge does not carry to Pant. The next ball is not as full - it's just short of a good length and seams away to square up the batter and take the outside edge once again, but this does not carry either, falling short of gully. The third ball from Shami veers in with the angle from over the wicket from a similar length. Markram, who has been shaken up the set-up, is late to withdraw his bat and ends up chopping it back onto his own stumps. Shami threatens the outside edge. He threatens the inside edge. There's no respite against him
28
15
23
1

India set SA 305

Bumrah takes India's lead past 300 with an eye-catching late-cut four. Two balls later, Jansen castles Siraj to dismiss India for 174. Bumrah and Siraj will have more work to do with the ball. Still 51 overs left in the day; play can be extended up to 6pm local time.
17
13
17
11

Rabada lets it rip

In the 44th over, Rabada found steep bounce from a back of a length and won a caught-behind appeal. Ashwin survived after a successful review, but in his next over Rabada had his man. He got one to rear up from a short of a length, hit the top of the handle and fly to gully. Ashwin reviewed once again, this time in vain. Soon after, Rabada bounces out Pant too. Pant's run-a-ball 34, however, has dragged India's lead towards 300. Several balls are misbehaving off the fourth-day pitch.
2
2
1
19

Rahane holes out

India have lost 3 for 32 after lunch. Rahane, who had scored 20 of those, picks out deep square leg as he can't keep this hook down. Steep bounce for Jansen and he is rewarded with this third wicket this innings.
4
4
22

Pujara is snaffled down the leg side

Ngidi angles a half-volley down the leg side, but it's away from Pujara's reach as he can only tickle it behind to de Kock for 16 off 64 balls. Rishabh Pant, the new batter, advances at the seamer, swings for the hills and misses. Rahane is on 20 off 18 balls.
4
4
2
22

Kohli falls first ball after lunch

He goes for a loose drive once again, this full delivery from Jansen leaves him with the angle from over the wicket and finishes wider than a set of stumps outside off. Kohli edges it behind to de Kock. He slaps his bat against his thigh and walks off for 18 off 32 balls.
5
4
7
36

India lead by 209 at lunch

India have lost Thakur, the nightwatchman, and Rahul, the opener, this morning but they've managed to add 63 runs in 26 overs, pushing their lead beyond 200. The Centurion track is still offering some uneven bounce and seam movement to keep the quicks interested. There's forecast for some rain this afternoon, so how will that affect India's declaration plans?
19
6
13
9

16
20
12
2

Rahul's stickability

334 Balls faced by Rahul - the most by any overseas Test opener at SuperSportPark. Among all openers, only Gibbs and de Villiers have faced more balls than Rahul in a Centurion Test. Among all overseas batters, only Shaun Marsh has faced more balls than Rahul in a Test match at this venue.
25
12
6
3

Rahul nicks off

He uncharacteristically chases a wide delivery from Ngidi after drinks and slashes it behind to Elgar at first slip for 23 off 74 balls. Some variable bounce also bothered Rahul there. Pujara hasn't looked comfortable either, against the seam movement gleaned by Mulder. India are effectively 184 for 3
5
1
4
12

Four and DROPPED

After getting off the pair with a trademark shovel-drive straight of mid-on for four, Pujara checks his flick as this Ngidi delivery stops on him. It's a fairly straightforward chance, but Rabada drops it at midwicket. He looks skyward in utter disbelief. India's lead is inching towards 200
13
6
8
8

Rabada takes out Thakur

More signs of variable bounce, which will encourage India's quicks as well. Rabada gets one to kick up from a back of a length and finds some seam movement to square up Thakur and snag his outside edge, which is smartly pouched by Mulder at third slip. India are effectively 164 for 2. Thakur has been dismissed for 10 off 26 balls.
8
6
8
15

Thakur tees off

After leaving a few sucker balls outside off and surviving an lbw shout off Marco Jansen - it was sailing over the stumps - Thakur latches onto a short, wide delivery from the left-arm seamer, scything an upper-cut for six. A quick cameo from Thakur could potentially set up India's declaration. At the other end, Rahul continues to show impeccable judgement outside off, leaving by hiding his bat inside the line.
9
6
15
6

11
6
12
1

Boxing Day Test: Centurion, day four

Shami's five-wicket bag saw India pull ahead on an 18-wicket third day at SuperSport Park. After earning a 130-run first-innings lead, India will look to build on it further and shut down South Africa today. India are effectively 146 for 1, with nightwatchman Thakur and first-innings centurion Rahul set to resume. The morning is a scorcher, but there is some forecast for rain this afternoon, so it will be interesting to see how India approach their potential declaration and push for victory. There's forecast for rain on the final day too.
14
5
6
3
Language
English
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ICC World Test Championship

TEAMMWLDPTPCT
AUS19113515266.67
IND18105312758.80
SA1586110055.56
ENG22108412446.97
SL125616444.44
NZ134636038.46
PAK144646438.10
WI134725434.62
BAN1211011611.11