CAPE TOWN: Pacers-led India romped to a convincing seven-wicket victory in the second Test despite a valiant century by South Africa’s Aiden Markam to level the two-match series 1-1 at Queensland yesterday.

Set to chase a mere 79, India took just 12 overs to register an important victory in the second session of Day 2, making it the shortest Test in history, in terms of balls bowled. In pursuit of a modest total on a challenging surface, Yashasvi Jaiswal attacked from the first delivery and made 28 from 23 deliveries before being caught at the boundary off Nandre Burger.

Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) fell to Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen respectively before Shreyas Iyer hit the winning boundary, his only scoring stroke. Captain Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, stayed unbeaten on 16.

Earlier, Aiden Markram scored a gutsy century for South Africa but India bundled out the hosts on a modest 176. Markram top scored for South Africa with 106 off 103 balls before South Africa were bowled out for 176 shortly before Lunch. The home side could add 94 runs for the loss of their remaining seven wickets in the first session on Day 2.

Jasprit Bumrah led the bowling attack for India in the second innings of the ongoing Test as he returned with a six-fer. Mukesh Kumar supported the fellow pacer with two scalps while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took one wicket apiece. Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel The opening day of the second Test saw 23 wickets fall as both sides went hard at each other.

India lost their last six wickets for no run in 11 deliveries and were bundled out on a modest 153 in response to South Africa’s 55. India, who had a flying start to the final match of the series when they skittled South Africa for a paltry 55, coped with a collapse of the ages to bundle out on 153 and could only acquire a 98-run lead.

The visitors, at one stage, were looking in a commanding position but the Proteas ran through their middle and lower order to force a comeback. India’s top batters Virat Kohli (46), Rohit Sharma (39) and Shubman Gill (36) remained the notable contributors to their total while the rest seemed hapless against the determined Proteas bowling attack and seven of them fell for a duck.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 05 2024

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