The Indian cricket team achieved a remarkable feat by winning the final Test against South Africa in just five sessions. It was the shortest completed match in Test history. Thursday's second day of the game at Cape Town saw India securing a comfortable seven-wicket win. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah's extraordinary performances primarily led to India's victory.
The match began with India's Siraj taking an impressive 6/15, followed by Bumrah's 6/61. These six-wicket hauls played a pivotal role in India's victory.
Starting the second day under pressure, South Africa needed a better performance to extend the match. Aiden Markram stepped up to the challenge. He displayed remarkable skill and resilience against India's bowling attack. Markram's century stood out in a game where scoring was difficult. No team surpassed 200 runs, and only a couple of other batters crossed the 30-run mark.
India's bowlers exploited the Cape Town pitch, which offered more pace and bounce than on the opening day. Bumrah, in particular, delivered a fiery spell, contributing to the team's success. The pitch conditions posed challenges for the batters. However, Markram's courage and adaptability shone through, earning him a deserved century.
Despite Markram's efforts, South Africa could only manage a lead of 78 runs. Such a result was insufficient to trouble the Indian batters. India's aggressive batting approach, led by Yashasvi Jaiswal's quick 28 runs, closed in on the target. The dismissals of Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli couldn't stop India's march towards victory.
Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer ensured progress towards the win. However, Iyer faced challenging deliveries before striking the winning runs against Marco Jansen.
This victory marks a significant achievement for the Men in Blue. It showcased their dominance in both bowling and batting. It also made a statement in the history of Test cricket with this unprecedentedly brief match.
India will take on Afghanistan next in a three-match T20I series at home, starting on January 11. This will be followed by a five-match Test series against England, starting January 25, at home, too.
Final scorecard: South Africa 55 and 176 (Markram 106, Bumrah 6/61) losing to India 153 (Kohli 46, Sharma 39, Gill 36; Ngidi 3-30, Rabada 3-38, Burger 3-42), and 80/3 (Jaiswal 28; Jansen 1-15) by seven wickets.