India [187 & 247] defeat South Africa [194 & 177] by 63 runs in the 3rd Test, SA win series 2-1

[LastManstanding]

England, here we come.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Typically i generously use the word choke when SA loses. This is not one. Pitch was playing well. But it started acting up once sun was out. Stay became harder and harder.

 

[CadPakFan]

And Hats off to Kohli for his efforts this series as well.

 

[JaDed]

Good victory, hopefully out bowlers perform in England and BCCI schedules some proper practice matches.

 

[CricVet]

I donno if I have seen wickets in SA as bad as the last 2. Shame on the admins to prepare such horrible test wickets.

 

[Sidilicious]

England, here we come.

Nah, we will be down 2-0 by the time we get our selection right.

Kohli will go back to Dhawan instead of giving Rahul a few more chances. Will also find ways to bring Rohit Sharma back (possibly in place of Pujara).

We will get our team right by 3rd test, and end up losing the series 2-1.

 

[LastManstanding]

Good victory, hopefully out bowlers perform in England and BCCI schedules some proper practice matches.

We will play T20s and ODIs before tests, so acclimatisation won't be an issue there.

 

[Shafi]

As usual SA choke!!! AB is just a ftb and good for nothing. SA has serious batting problems

 

[LastManstanding]

Nah, we will be down 2-0 by the time we get our selection right.

Kohli will go back to Dhawan instead of giving Rahul a few more chances. Will also find ways to bring Rohit Sharma back (possibly in place of Pujara).

We will get our team right by 3rd test, and end up losing the series 2-1.

Hopefully he has learnt his lesson.

 

[RamLakhan]

I'd love to watch another test match between these two instead of t20s. What's the point of playing 3 pointless T20s.

Yes they indeed played like two top test teams on difficult pitches!

 

[Sidilicious]

Hopefully he has learnt his lesson.

As I mentioned to sif, he should have learnt his lesson after Sri Lanka in 2015 and WI in 2016. Unfortunately, he did not.

Kohli the batsman, seems so learn his lessons, not Kohli the captain.

 

[JaDed]

Hopefully he has learnt his lesson.

I don't think he has, this discussion has been going on since a long time now,he is making us vulnerable with his selections.Good thing is he is ok to be proved wrong and not play politics like see I selected em still we lost,he still wanted to win, also I never understand he and Rahane always partner well,no idea why he wud drop him.

 

[RamLakhan]

As I mentioned to sif, he should have learnt his lesson after Sri Lanka in 2015 and WI in 2016. Unfortunately, he did not.

Kohli the batsman, seems so learn his lessons, not Kohli the captain.

Kohli is like Lord Shanmukha, not a good leader but a great warrior!

 

[jnaveen1980]

KOhli made some obvious selection blunders. After Rohit scoring 200,fastest 100 in limited over games he thought he would do the same in SA. That was a ridiculous faith .in Rohit. He and Dhawan were the worst.

 

[Sidilicious]

I don't think he has, this discussion has been going on since a long time now,he is making us vulnerable with his selections.Good thing is he is ok to be proved wrong and not play politics like see I selected em still we lost,he still wanted to win, also I never understand he and Rahane always partner well,no idea why he wud drop him.

really good point. They tend to score good runs together.

 

[Kashmirilion]

A very good series for India and cricket, India have competed really well this series taking nothing away from them but is it just me or have the south Africans been poor this series nothing exciting and clinical, Aussies will have them soon. Looking forward to England Vs India I think India will win this time around.

 

[shaz619]

Great win for India one of their best ever, the series will prepare them well for England especially

 

[Lefthanded]

Finally!

Wish BCCI hadn’t cancelled the 4th Test.

Shami MoM. Amla and Kohli MoS.

 

[jnaveen1980]

India made all the mistakes possible in this series. Fielding, selection, preparation everything was awry.

 

[Buffet]

This series needed to be 5 tests.

Well played India. Specially batsmen in 2nd innings. Those extra runs made difference here.

 

[subbu]

Holding: what a series.. love to see couple of more test matches

 

[Lefthanded]

Spare a thought for Elgar, this would have been the innings of the series if he hadn't run out of partners. Wonderful batting.

 

[savecricket]

Not very surprised at this result. The three big IPL SA players all failing in both innings - can't remember when that happened to three key batsmen in both innings.

 

[subbu]

Great series hope kohli learns from the mistakes .

batsmen cost the series ..should have won the 1st test .. target of 205 was not v tough

 

[Saurav]

Spare a thought for Elgar, this would have been the innings of the series if he hadn't run out of partners. Wonderful batting.

thats what happens when you tuk tuk.Should have changed gears after Amla got out.Can't leave scoring to new batsman

btw never looked comfortable

 

[IndianHero]

This match is done and dusted for "mera bharat mahaan"!!Loving it even more

mera bharat mahaan

 

[subbu]

We will play T20s and ODIs before tests, so acclimatisation won't be an issue there.

Dhawan and Rohit will back in Test squad ..
Both are good ODI players ...they will score runs in odi and T20 . So again they will use "In form as excuse" back Rohit and Dhawan

 

[MenInG]

DEAN ELGAR became the first South African to carry his bat through a Test innings twice but it was not enough to stop India winning the final Sunfoil Freedom Test match at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium by 63 runs on Saturday

Elgar had previously made 118 out of a total of 214 for the Standard Bank Proteas against England at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in 2015 and today he finished unbeaten on 86 (240 balls, 9 fours and a six) as his team finished well short of their victory target of 241.

Other players to have done it twice include Australians Bill Woodfull and Bill Lawry, England’s Sir Len Hutton and Desmond Haynes of the West Indies who did it on three occasions.

It was a magnificent effort from the gutsy left-hander who had taken a fearsome physical battering from the India seamers the previous evening and for a long time it looked as though the Proteas might pull off a successful chase as he and Hashim Amla (52 off 140 balls, 5 fours) put on 119 for the second wicket in 51 overs.

But the departure of Amla shortly before the tea interval sparked a collapse that saw the last 9 wickets fall for 53 runs in 21 overs. Vernon Philander (10) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Mohammed Shami matched the performance of Jasprit Bumrah from the first innings in taking 5/28 as all four Indian seamers played their role.

In retrospect the Proteas will look back on a number of dropped catches in both Indian innings that cost them dearly but the plain fact was that the Indian bowlers used the conditions better than their South African counterparts.

The Proteas nevertheless won the Freedom Trophy for the overall series 2-1 and managed to close the gap behind India at the top of the ICC Test Championship rankings.

It was India’s third Test match victory in South Africa and their second at this venue where they maintained their unbeaten record of two wins and three draws in five matches.

Virat Kohli finished the leading runs scorer in the series while Philander, Shami and Kagiso Rabada were the joint leading wicket takers (15 each).

Buvneshwar Kumar was named Sunfoil Man of the Match for his contributions with both bat and ball while Philander was named Sunfoil Man of the Series.

 

[troodon]

I hope [MENTION=139867]dauntless[/MENTION] is alright.

 

[neonoir]

India lose an away series against a competitive team not SL or WI as per usual. Can't wait to see India lose 5-0 vs England

 

[drrashmin]

This match is done and dusted for "mera bharat mahaan"!!Loving it even more

Loving it a lot, even after we lost series, amazing win in third test. You spoke too early.

 

[Tusker]

Where are those crybabies now? Loving every bit of this massacre on this so called unplayable and unsuitable pitch.

safe to say dauntless will be "missing" for the next few days ...

 

[GrandMaster]

I always think of the good ol' W's days

We would be day 5, no wickets falling then suddenly Wasim would make a breakthrough and 20 overs later Pakistan win!

India must believe.

For SA, Amla is my man!

This is what exactly happened today. SA were 1-124 at one stage and were cruising but a breakthrough made a big difference. 21 overs later INDIA win!

 

[Farhansk]

An excellent victory, Well done India.

 

[MMHS]

Do you think if we had played our best XI and played a couple of practice matches, we could have won this series?

Tough to tell, but indeed was possible. I found SAF quite below par this series also and Kok was absent. But, have to tell man, your Captain is a piece - both with bat and then as Captain.

 

[EliteCynical]

Tough to tell, but indeed was possible. I found SAF quite below par this series also and Kok was absent. But, have to tell man, your Captain is a piece - both with bat and then as Captain.

In the sense?

 

[EliteCynical]

safe to say dauntless will be "missing" for the next few days ...

Where is sosokiller?

 

[MMHS]

In the sense?

read the full sentence - clue is given.

 

[Tusker]

Where is sosokiller?

Plenty of the usual suspects have gone AWOL. Bad day for them. They will be back the moment India lose.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Tough to tell, but indeed was possible. I found SAF quite below par this series also and Kok was absent. But, have to tell man, your Captain is a piece - both with bat and then as Captain.

True he is. I don't think Kohli should be captain though. Should just focus on his batting.

 

[Rightarmfast]

Spare a thought for Elgar, this would have been the innings of the series if he hadn't run out of partners. Wonderful batting.

Actually, he was the biggest crybaby. He played his trick last evening or saffers may have been 2-3 wickets down. Thats not good for south africa's reputation.

 

[drrashmin]

Sosokiller and Dauntless are reading but not posting....

 

[Lefthanded]

Actually, he was the biggest crybaby. He played his trick last evening or saffers may have been 2-3 wickets down. Thats not good for south africa's reputation.

When you've been hit on the grill by an international class fast bowler, almost went inside to get your face, maybe you can call someone else a crybaby on the topic.

 

[Rightarmfast]

When you've been hit on the grill by an international class fast bowler, almost went inside to get your face, maybe you can call someone else a crybaby on the topic.

Not when you dont have the technique to face an international quality bowler, and your job is to open, I wouldnt blame it on the pitch. I would blame myself. Take the green glass off!

 

[Lefthanded]

thats what happens when you tuk tuk.Should have changed gears after Amla got out.Can't leave scoring to new batsman

btw never looked comfortable

Have you seen Elgar bat much? He never looks comfortable, but he didn't give three chances every fifteen minutes like Kohli and co did in the first innings.

Either you're trolling or wilfully ignoring some basics of batting that you must know.

It's more or less impossible for most cricketers to change the way they play, particularly in their 30s. Elgar's ability got him the most runs last year, behind smith obviously, and he got and holds his spot as a non-quota player.

Do you really think that not 'accelerating' on a pitch, on which most specialist batsmen from both sides failed on, and batting LAST when the pitch is hardest, is a fair criticism?

I don't think it is.

 

[jagatk]

Unadkat worth more than Bumrah

 

[Napa]

I have a Feeling that Quinton De Kock is playing for his career today in Tests, he is due a big innings his express innings might be crucial in this chase. Proteas are not going to give up easily. I feel Proteas to win this Test match by 2 wickets.

de Kock ends the series with an average of 11.8.

 

[Napa]

Pandeya deserved a spot after 1st Test, bowling well also.

While Pandya did fail with the bat and didn't get any wickets, his fielding was crucial for the Indian victory. Without Pandya's spectacular catch, it is quite possible that Amla would have scored 30-40 more runs, completing ending any prospect of an Indian victory.

 

[Napa]

Pandya )

Pure filth that. Pandya has been an absolute waste of space.

Southafrican batting is too weak to go in with so many bowlers .
Especially useless ones like phephluckwahansayayo .
Bizzare selection . Should have played an extra batter .
A bit like India with Pandya .

Heroics of Amla and Elgar wasted by the rest of SA team members. Would Pandya's bone beaded throw make India regret. Let see.

"Sharma to Amla, OUT, splendid catch! It's the flick, the shot that has fetched Amla thousands of runs, even on this incredibly testing pitch. His world-renowned timing is on show too. But regardless of all that, Pandya has a job to do. He dives to his right, plucks it out of thin air and gives India the lift they need so badly."

Without this catch there was a chance that SA would have won this match.

 

[The_Odd_One]

One of the most gutsy performances by the Indian team. They played with a lot of heart and everyone chipped in. Congratz to Indian fans, rightfully number #1 test team.

 

[Napa]

really good point. They tend to score good runs together.

Rahane should be captain. He won't drop Kohli

 

[EliteCynical]

read the full sentence - clue is given.

Sorry still cannot comprehend 100%. Never mind.

 

[EliteCynical]

"Sharma to Amla, OUT, splendid catch! It's the flick, the shot that has fetched Amla thousands of runs, even on this incredibly testing pitch. His world-renowned timing is on show too. But regardless of all that, Pandya has a job to do. He dives to his right, plucks it out of thin air and gives India the lift they need so badly."

Without this catch there was a chance that SA would have won this match.

Also the amla run out in Centurion was a huge turning point. Sad India could not captialize. Only Pandya could have done something like that!

 

[Saurav]

Have you seen Elgar bat much? He never looks comfortable, but he didn't give three chances every fifteen minutes like Kohli and co did in the first innings.

Either you're trolling or wilfully ignoring some basics of batting that you must know.

It's more or less impossible for most cricketers to change the way they play, particularly in their 30s. Elgar's ability got him the most runs last year, behind smith obviously, and he got and holds his spot as a non-quota player.

Do you really think that not 'accelerating' on a pitch, on which most specialist batsmen from both sides failed on, and batting LAST when the pitch is hardest, is a fair criticism?

I don't think it is.

Not accelerating isn't a criticism.Not even trying when no one else is left is.

It was a gutsy innings.But it was going nowhere.You have to make bowlers think and change their lengths.I've had same issue with Pujara overseas

 

[Saurav]

England, here we come.

Sensible selections should ensure we atleast draw the series

 

[Sidilicious]

Also the amla run out in Centurion was a huge turning point. Sad India could not captialize. Only Pandya could have done something like that!

I am on the fence about Pandya. He is one of those cricketers who can make something happen from nothing. Also, if he comes good, his weight would be worth in gold.

Its just that he is going missing in games, and seems to be only contributing with the fielding (except the 1st test).

Having said that, we should definitely give him enough chances for a couple of years, especially in England and possibly in Aus too.