South African cricket has reached at the lowest ebb at this moment. In spite of known as ‘Choker’ in cricket, this team has produced players of the calibre of Kallis, Donald, Pollock, Amla, AB de Villiers and many more in recent years. They were the true match winners and left their mark on cricket field. Unfortunately the standard of Proteas cricket dipped enormously in the last couple of years.
Boring series
The just concluded Test match series was one of the most boring series played on the India soil. In the one sided series, Team India toyed with the visitors and comprehensively beaten them in all the three Tests.
Hosts demolishes visitors
India produced a dominating brand of cricket and made the visitors impotent in all the three departments of the game in the entire series. The hosts crushed South Africa by an innings and 202 runs in the third and final Test at Ranchi and clinched the series 3-0.
India on top in WTC
With this win Team India reached on the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), point table. India has earned maximum 240 points from two series, winning all the five test matches so far. Earlier Kohli’s men blanked the Carribean in a 2-0 series victory.
Shahbaz completes formality
Fourth day of the third Test was just a formality, India needed just two wickets for a clean sweep of the series. Local lad and debutant Shahbaz Nadeem dismissed Theunis De Bruyn (30) and Lungi Ngidi (0), helped India a massive series victory. South Africa bundled out on a meagre 133 runs in the second innings after India forced the follow-on.
4 heaviest defeats of Proteas in Test cricket
- Innings and 360 runs v Australia, Johannesburg 2001/02
- Innings and 259 runs v Australia, Port Elizabeth 1949/50
- Innings and 202 runs v England, Cape Town 1888/89
- Innings and 202 runs v India, Ranchi 2019/20, Ranchi (TODAY)/ 1919-20
Rohit’s bat fires
Rohit Sharma batted like a champion throughout the series and declared man of the match for his stupendous innings of 212, which was his maiden Test double ton. The hard hitting batsman has not only cemented his place in the team as an opener in the longer format of game rather silenced his core critics too. He scored a massive 529 runs in the entire series and rightly adjudged player of the series as well.
Contribution of bowlers
The contribution of bowlers in the whitewash can’t be ruled out. Indian bowlers never allowed the South African batsmen to settle down. In the absence of Bumrah other pacers did not let the captain down. This proves India’s strong bench strength and immense potential in the team.
Proteas cricket looks gloomy
Cricket pundits have to turn the history books and unveiled that last time South Africa lost two successive Tests in a series by an innings margin was against Australia at home in 1935-36. Future of Proteas is looking bleak, this team is following the path of West Indies. Current side does’t have quality players to take South Africa out of ditch. Officials have to revamp their domestic circuit to produce talented players.
Carribean’s rule
In the late 70s till mid 90s West Indies dominated in the world cricket. Beating the Carribean was like climbing on the everest. This team had not lost even a single series for 15 years (1980-1995). Australia dashed the predominance of the Caribbean defeated on their own den in 1995 test series and seized the reign from the West Indies.
Australia’s dominance
Then supremacy button automatically passed to Australia. The baggy green never allowed any opponents to match them. Allan Border was the chief architect of making Australian side a world-beater after winning the 1987 Reliance World Cup. Talented players started flourishing in the team. In this process OZ lifted three consecutive 50 overs world cup. What a performance? Players of this team can change the complexion of the match from any moment.
India sends a strong message
The world number one Test side has send a strong message to the cricket fraternity after whitewashing South Africa. Team has players for all situations. Players are selected on the basis of performance and current form not on reputation. Quality players are mushrooming across the country. Thanks to IPL and initiatives taken by BCCI for promoting cricket in the country.
Sixth clean sweep
This was India’s sixth clean sweep at home, all the players hit the target right on the middle, defeated the visitors in the first Test by 203 runs and clinched the second Test by an innings and 137 runs and the final Test by an innings and 203 runs.
Kohli surpasses Azharuddin
Kohli as a captain added another feather to his enormous cap has surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin as far as forcing follow-on is concerned. Kohli enforced follow-on eight times, Azharuddin did it seven times, Dhoni and Ganguly achieved this feat five and four times respectively. Under the captaincy of Kohli, India registered highest number of series whitewashes.
Team’s effort
Rohit Sharma emerged as the ebullient Test opener, Rahane’s form was another welcome sign for the team. Mayank Aggarwal impressed everyone with his sound technique as an opener. Bowlers throughout the series bowled with heart and bagged wickets. Debutant Shahbaz Nadeem did not disappoint his captain with his bowling.
Overall present Indian side is star studded. They have fire in the belly and like to make winning their habits, which is a positive sign for any side.
