India vs South Africa: Rohit Sharma & Co. clinch 7-wicket win at Newlands, level series 1-1

India won the second Test against South Africa by a 7-wicket margin at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday. It saw the two-match Test series finish 1-1 with South Africa winning the opener by an innings and 32 runs.

Rohit Sharma (17*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (28) scored bulk of the runs, in a 44 run opening-wicket stand, as India chased down the 79 run target in 12 overs. It saw the Test finish in just two days despite Aiden Markram scoring a combative century to steer the hosts to 176 runs.

Shubman Gill (10), Virat Kohli (12) perished before taking India to the target as the visitors went in with an attacking approach in the chase. Shreyas Iyer scored the winning runs with an expansive shot over the infield that ran away for a boundary.

Earlier, Markram threw caution to the wind as he smashed 106 runs off just 103 balls, singlehandedly leading Proteas’ attempt for a big total. They were eventually bowled out for 176 runs in 36.5 overs at the stroke of lunch.

The ball didn’t fly off the spicy pitch as much as it did on the opening day, which produced 23 wickets, but did offer enough juice to get movement off the surface. It allowed Jasprit Bumrah, who had made his debut at this venue in 2018, to post figures of 6/61 in 13.5 overs.

Bumrah’s back of length approach in the first innings reverted to a more traditional fuller length deliveries to set the alarm bells ringing for the Proteas.

The Indian seamer registered his ninth five-wicket haul in Test cricket as South Africa lost seven wickets in the morning session.

Aiden Markram is the first player to make a century in a Test innings where nobody else scored more than 12.

Previous best in any inns:
G Gooch 91* Eng v NZ The Oval 1978 out of 138-3.

Previous best in all out inns:
G White 73 SA v Eng CT 1906.

— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) January 4, 2024

Sensing that he could soon run out of partners once David Bedingham (11) edged behind and Kyle Verreynne misjudged the length while going for an unnecessary pull, Markram started attacking the inexperienced Mukesh Kumar (2/56) and Prasidh Krishna (1/27).

As Rohit Sharma set an attacking field to eke out a wicket, Markram found it easy to muscle the balls through the gaps as he hit 17 fours and two mighty sixes.

Starting at 62/3, South Africa quickly lost their middle-order to be 111 for 7 before Markram took charge in a 51-run stand with Rabada where he launched into every Indian bowler.

It finally took first innings hero Mohammed Siraj (1/31) to induce a mistimed heave from Markram, ensuring the lead didn’t cross the 100-run mark.