Elgar and South Africa pacers flatten India inside three days
Only Kohli's 76 offered any resistance during India's second innings, which lasted a mere 34.1 overs and featured nine single-digit scores
Only Kohli's 76 offered any resistance during India's second innings, which lasted a mere 34.1 overs and featured nine single-digit scores
Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: Shashank Kishore
Thanks for your company over the last three days. Wish it was a tad longer, but worry not, we'll see you in the new year. Hope the 2nd Test will be a lot more closely fought and compelling. Have a great new year. Stay safe, mask up and enjoy the festivities. It's goodbye and goodnight from me, Shashank Kishore, on behalf of our crew: Deiva Muthu, Chandan Duroah and Thilak Gowda. Cheers
Dean Elgar is the Player of the Match for his 185. "Pretty special for me, rather just smile than cry (this is his farewell series) and enjoy the moment. Contribute to this team is what I've always wanted to do. Hasn't worked out sometimes, but it did here, massive effort to pick 20 wickets. It was a juicy wicket. Got to keep nice and simple, batting in Tests you have to simplify things. Focus on the ball, play nice and straight, play late. Wickets like that, one's got your name on it, got to ride the wave when it's in your favour. Good partnerships with Tony, David and Jans. You need fast bowlers and spinner potentially to take 20 wickets, need guys firing. KG was amazing, and a guy like Nandre just came to the fore. Awesome to see his performances. Really great team performance going forward. Glad to leave here on a high.
Rohit Sharma: Not good enough. Got decent runs having been put in. KL Rahul batted brilliantly, but we failed to exploit conditions with the ball. Batting was poor in the second innings, Virat batted brilliantly but if you have to win Tests, have to come together collectively. We failed to do that. Guys have come here before, we understand what to expect from the conditions. Every individual has his own plan. Our batters were challenged at different times. We didn't adapt well. We didn't bat well both times which is why we stand here. There were some positives. Not a lot when you finish the game inside three days. KL the way he batted, he showed what you need to do on that kind of pitch. Don't want to be too critical on the bowlers, they haven't played much here. We'll regroup and come back. It's important to regroup as quickly as we can, tough from a loss like these but as sportsmen you go through these times. Got to pick ourselves up.
5.03pm An abject surrender by India. If you grew up in the 1990s, this must feel like a proper throwback. Over their last five fours in these shores, India have competed hard and won at least one Test. That proud record is on the line here with one more to come in Jo'burg next week. India were briefly in it, courtesy KL Rahul's magnificent first-innings hundred but there's been very little else of note. Lots and lots of things to mull over and they'll have two extra days to do a de-brief, before preparing for Newlands.
South Africa have been absolutely sensational. SuperSport Park seems like a giant party waiting to take off. They're dancing in the grass banks. Dean Elgar plucks a stump out for posterity. It's his farewell series and he's started it with a magnificent match-winning 185, full of pluck and guts. There was a five-for from Rabada, wickets for debutant Nandre Burger and runs for debutant David Bedingham. The only real concern - or maybe it's not - heading into Cape Town is the fitness of Temba Bavuma. Can it be scripted any better for Elgar to lead his time in his farewell Test?
V Kohli c Rabada b Jansen 76 (137m 82b 12x4 1x6) SR: 92.68
Gavaskar feels Gill has to adjust to the demands and nuances of red-ball cricket
He's a late bloomer but has had a heady two weeks or so, debuting in all formats for South Africa, isn't intimidated by anyone, and does it all with a smile
With Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur proving ineffective, the lack of depth in bowling reserves is a concern
Only Kohli's 76 offered any resistance during India's second innings, which lasted a mere 34.1 overs and featured nine single-digit scores
"Prasidh has played a lot of white-ball cricket for us in the last two or three years, and he has shown that he has got a lot of potential"