It was the 1484th match in Test history.
It was the 332nd Test for India and 241st for South Africa.
It was the 11th match between these two sides.The record now reads : South Africa 5,India 2,drawn 4.
It was the 176th match on Indian soil.India has now won 48,lost 41, tied one and drawn 86 Tests on home soil.
It was the 17th Test on this ground.South Africa was playing for the first time on this ground.
England's David Shepherd was officiating in his 50th Test.He became only second umpire to officiate in 50 or more Tests after fellow Englishman Dickie Bird who had stood in 68 Test matches. For other umpire S.Venkataraghavan it was 36th match as umpire.
Wasim Jaffer and Murali Kartik became 225th and 226th player to appear in Tests for India while Nickie Boje became the 276th player to make Test debut for South Africa.
Hansie Cronje was leading South Africa for the 52nd time in his career.He now shares the fourth position with England's Mike Atherton among the captains who have led their countries in most matches.Only Allan Border (93), Clive Lloyd (74) and Arjuna Ranatunga (56) are ahead of Cronje.
Sachin Tendulkar (97),on 60, became the leading run-scorer for India against South Africa.At the end of this match Tendulkar has a tally of 714 runs from 20 innings of 11 Tests against South Africa and he surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin?s tally of 668 runs from 10 Tests (18 innings).
Tendulkar (97), on 92, became the fourth Indian skipper to complete 2000 runs. He was playing his 24th Test.Tendulkar now joins the company of Sunil Gavaskar (3449 runs in 47 Tests),Mohammad Azharuddin (2856 runs in 47 Tests) and Nawab of Pataudi,Jr (2424 runs in 40 Tests). Tendulkar also became the 23rd player in the cricket history to do so.
Tendulkar (97) became a victim of nervous ninety for the third time in his Test career. He had made 96 against SriLanka at Bangalore in 1993-94 and 92 against WestIndies at Bridgetown in 1996-97.
It was the first score in nineties for India against South Africa. Overall it was 62nd such instance for India.
The dismissal of Anil Kumble in the first innings was his sixth as run-out in his career. He thus equalled Abid Ali's tally. Now only Syed Kirmani and Mohammad Azharuddin have been dismissed on more occasions than Kumble in this fashion him for india - seven time apiece.
The partnership of 52 runs between Ajit Agarkar and debutant Murali Kartik in first innings was India's best for tenth wicket against South Africa. The previous highest record stand was of just 19 runs between Sachin Tendulkar and Dodda Ganesh in the first innings of CapeTown Test in 1996-97. Incidentally the previous highest 10th wicket stand on Indian soil against South Africa was 13 between Ashish Kapoor and Venkatesh Prasad in the first innings of Kanpur Test in 1996-97.
The partnership was also the seventh highest for India for tenth wicket.
Ajit Agarkar's 41* was the fourth highest individual innings by a batsman on his first appearance against South Africa at batting position nine. Interestingly the record is held by another Indian Kiran More who made 55 at Durban in 1992-93.
The duck in first innings was third in succession for Hansie Cronje and 11th in his 67th Test.Cronje thus equalled Roy McLean's tally. Now only Allan Donald has recorded more ducks for South Africa - 13 in 60 Tests.
It was Cronje's eighth duck as South Africa's captain. He now holds the dubious distinction of recording most ducks in a career as a captain. Cronje was previously at level with seven ducks with six other captains i.e. Courtney Walsh (22 Tests),Garry Sobers (39),Nawab of Pataudi,Jr.(40),Greg Chappell (48),Mike Atherton (52) and Allan Border (93).
When he caught Mark Boucher off the bowling of debutant Kartik, Nayan Mongia became third Indian and 22nd keeper in the Test history to complete 100 dismissals in a Test career. The roster of 'keepers with at least 100 dismissals includes six Englishmen, four Australians,three Indians, three South Africans, two WestIndians, two New Zealanders and two Pakistanis.
With this Mongia also completed the coveted double of 1000 runs and 100 dismissals, thus becoming the 20th keeper to achieve this milestone. Incidentally,only two keepers among the 22, Australia's Wally Grout and South Africa's Mark Boucher, have failed to complete a double.Apart from Mongia,two other Indian keepers have not only achieved 100 dismissals but also accomplished the double. Syed Kirmani with 198 dismissals (160 ct,38 st) in 88 Tests holds the national record and stands seventh on the list of wicketkeepers with most victims in all Tests.Later,Kiran More claimed 130 dismissals (110 ct, 20 st)in his career of 49 Tests. Kirmani scored 2759 runs and More 1285.
The figures of 3-10 in the first innings were the best for Tendulkar in his career. His previous best was 2 for 10 against Australia at Adelaide in 1991-92.
Tendulkar became only the fourth Indian captain to score fifty plus runs in an inings and capture three or more wickets in an innings in the same Test.The details :
63 & 3-68 Hemu Adhikari v WI Delhi 1958-59 50* & 3-80 Bishan Bedi v NZ Kanpur 1976-77 50* & 3-42 Bishan.Bedi v NZ Kanpur 1976-77 100* & 3-91 Kapil Dev v WI Port of Spain 1982-83 69 & 4-91 Kapil Dev v WI Calcutta 1983-84 60 & 4-69 Kapil Dev v SL Cuttack 1986-87 50* & 3-46 Kapil Dev v PAK Ahmedabad 1986-87 97 & 3-10 Sachin Tendulkar v SA Mumbai 1999-00Tendulkar also became only the third captain to do so against South Africa after NewZealand's Geoff Rabone (56 & 6-68 at CapeTown in 1953- 54) and John Reid (60 + 144 & 3-55 at Johannesburg and 69 & 4-44 at Port Elizabeth) in 1961-62.
The wicket of Nicky Boje was 50th for Javagal Srinath against South Africa. He became first Indian and 10th bowler to do so against South Africa. Incidentally Srinath is only the second bowler to aggregate 50 wickets against South Africa since its return into international cricket (in 1991-92) after Shane Warne who has 64 wickets from 12 Tests on his name.
Srinath also became the eighth Indian to capture 50 wickets against a particular country. Bishan Singh Bedi and Kapil Dev had taken 50 wickets against four different countries, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Erapally Prasanna have done so against two countries, while Vinoo Mnakad, Shivlal Yadav and S.Venkataraghavan are the other Indians to aggregate 50 or more wickets against a specific country.
The three catches by VVS Laxman in South Africa's first innings were the most taken by an Indian in the field against South Africa. Mohammad Azharuddin (thrice),Sachin Tendulkar (twice),Javagal Srinath, Vikram Rathour and Rahul Dravid (once each) had taken two catches.
South Africa's first innings total (175) was its second lowest against India. The lowest, however, still remains as 105 at Ahmedabad in 1996-97.
When Hansie Cronje dismissed Tendulkar in second innings, it was the fifth occasion Tendulkar succumbed to Cronje's gentle medium pace attack. Quite amazingly Cronje now holds the distinction of getting the little master out on more occasions than any other bowler. He was earlier at level with England's Chris Lewis and fellow countryman Allan Donald with four such instances.
Mark Boucher by taking five catches in the second innings equalled the existing South African record of most dismissals by a keeper against India. Dave Richardson had also held five catches at Port Elizabeth in 1992-93.
India's second innings total (113) was its lowest against South Africa on home soil. This obliterated the previous lowest of 137 at Calcutta in 1996-97.
The total was also the second lowest for India in second innings of a Test on home soil.The lowest ,however,still remains as 90 against West Indies at Calcutta in 1983-84.It was the ninth lowest total for India on home soil and 28th lowest in all matches.
The wicket of Kirsten in second innings was 267th for Anil Kumble in his 60th Test. He thus surpassed Bishan Singh Bedi's tally of 266 wickets (from 67 Tests) to become the second most successful bowler for India after Kapil Dev (434 wickets from 131 Tests).
Kumble has now got 104 wickets on Indian soil as caught (upto the end of this match) which are the maximum for any bowler. The previous record was held by Kapil Dev with 101 such dismissals.
Jacques Kallis (36*), on 16, completed his 2000 runs in his 35th Test and 55th innings. He became 16th South African and 199th player in Test cricket to do so.
The defeat (by four wickets) was India's fourth narrowest in terms of wickets. Australia had beaten India by two wickets at Perth in 1977-78, West Indies by four wickets at Kingston in 1982-83 and New Zealand by an identical margin at Wellington in 1998-99.
It was also the narrowest defeat for India on home soil in terms of wickets. WestIndies had beaten India by five wickets at Delhi in 1987-88.
The match provided the 12th instance when South Africa ended on winning note despite conceding first innings lead to opponents.It was first such instance for South Africa against India.The details :Deficit Won byOpponents VenueSeason126233 runs Australia Joburg1966-67
123 5 runs Australia Sydney 1993-94103 4 wkts SriLanka Centurion 1997-98
102 19 runs England Joburg 1909-10
93 1 wkt England Joburg 1905-06 85 6 wkts Australia Melbourne 1952-53 69 53 runs Pakistan Rawalpindi 1997-98 67 28 runs England Joburg 1930-31 49 4 wkts India Mumbai 1999-00 34 168 runs England Joburg 1922-23 20 224 runs England Leeds 1955 16 82 runs Australia Melbourne 1952-53
It was South Africa's 69th win in 241st match.
It was India's 111th loss in 332nd match.
It was South Africa's 26th win under Hansie Cronje's captaincy. Cronje is now at level with Australia's Mark Taylor in terms of most wins as captain. Only Clive Lloyd (36),Allan Border (32) and Viv Richards (27) have won more Tests than Cronje.
It was India's 8th loss under Sachin Tendulkar,s captaincy.