The South African batters came out strong in the third Test match at Newlands in Cape Town, chasing a relatively modest total of 212 runs. They chased down the target for the loss of three wickets just after the post-lunch session on day 4. South Africa won the Test series 2-1 and made significant progress in the current ICC Test Championship points standings with this victory. They have now surpassed India for fourth place. The third Test match report between South Africa and India is discussed in this article.
South Africa vs India Test Series 2021/2022: Third Test Match Report
Virat Kohli was returned in India's playing XI for the series-deciding match in Cape Town. However, his inclusion did not help India win their maiden Test series in South Africa. India took a little lead in the first innings but failed to score big in the second innings, leaving South Africa with a reasonably easy target to win the match and the series. The Protea batters batted with discipline and chased down the target in 63.3 overs.
India’s First Innings
India scored 223 runs in their first innings after deciding to bat first. The 62-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara was India's highest in the innings. But it was the battle between Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada that drew the most attention. The Protea pacer eventually won the battle after picking the Indian Captain in the third session of day 1. Virat Kohli scored the most runs for India in the first innings with 79, while Kagiso Rabada had the most wickets for South Africa with four.
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South Africa’s First Innings
South Africa batted poorly in their first innings when they came into bat. The South Africans were bowled out for only 210 runs after losing all of their wickets. Rassie van der Dussen and Keegan Petersen's 67-run fourth-wicket stand was the highest for South Africa in the first innings. Van der Dussen scored the most runs for the Proteas with 72. Medium-pacer Jasprit Bumrah was India's leading wicket-taker with 5 wickets.
India’s Second Innings
India began their second innings with a meager 13-run advantage in the first. The Virat Kohli-led team failed to put up a strong performance in the middle to provide South Africa with a difficult target to chase. They were bowled out for 198 runs just after tea on day three due to some outstanding bowling from the Protea pacers. South Africa's Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen all bowled well. On the other hand, Rishab Pant was India's lone fighter. He was undefeated for 100* runs.
South Africa’s Second Innings
South Africa had a difficult time chasing down 213 runs since the wicket was primarily designed for faster bowlers. Though, the South African batters had displayed remarkable discipline in the middle. They kept a close eye on the target and slowly reached the target in the second session of day 4. Keegan Petersen led South Africa with 82 runs, while Rassie van der Dussen (41*), Temba Bavuma (32*), and Dean Elgar (30) also contributed significantly to the run chase.
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Player of the Match
Keegan Petersen was chosen player of the match for his outstanding batting. Petersen was named Player of the Tournament after hitting 276 runs in the series.
ICC Test Championship Points Table (2021-2023 Cycle)
After clinching the series, South Africa have made a huge jump in the current ICC Test Championship points standings. South Africa have climbed to fourth place in the standings, while India have dropped to the fifth position. Sri Lanka are ranked first, followed by Australia and Pakistan.
Test Championship Points Standings (as of January 14, 2022)
|
Position |
Team |
PCT |
|
1 |
Sri Lanka |
100.00 |
|
2 |
Australia |
83.33 |
|
3 |
Pakistan |
75.00 |
|
4 |
South Africa |
66.66 |
|
5 |
India |
49.07 |
|
6 |
New Zealand |
33.33 |
|
7 |
Bangladesh |
25.00 |
|
8 |
West Indies |
25.00 |
|
9 |
England |
10.41 |
Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/
Bottom Line
Losing a Test series against South Africa is a huge blow to India's hopes of reaching the ICC Test Championship final. On the other hand, an inexperienced South African team has started their second cycle of the Test Championship with a promising series victory over one of the world's top longer-version teams. Winning a Test series against India would undoubtedly bolster the Proteas Test side's confidence ahead of the next ITC matchups. Oppositely, India will have to wait until the next series to complete their first-ever Test series in South Africa.