A crushing defeat for India by an innings and 90 runs

South Africa defeated India by an innings and 90 runs with two days to spare on the third day of the second Test match at Ahmedabad. India after bowled out for just 76 in the first innings were never in a site to pull through the match in front of a scintillating performance in both batting a bowling by the Africans.

The Proteas recreating history of the Bangalore Test played in 1999-2000, when they defeated India in one of its humiliating defeat by an innings and 71 runs ticked off Indian cricket fans memory but with some all-round performances that is undoubtedly admirable.

The home side was never in a recovering position after their first innings debacle for just 76 following a strong South African first innings response of 494 for seven, with a lead of 418-run. Jacques Kallis (132) and AB de Villiers’s unbeaten 217 scripted South African march to glory at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Though none of Indian top order batsmen excluding wicketkeeper MS Dhoni (14) and bowler Irfan Pathan (21) reached to double figure in the first innings, the second one was a bit expectant as VVS Laxman (35), Sourav Ganguly (87), MS Dhoni (52) and Irfan Pathan (42*) played their part but was not enough to outdo South African bowlers, who after taking three wickets in first 20-overs got the last five wickets for 103 runs. India only managed to score 328 in its second innings.

Among South African bowlers Dale Steyn (23-over) and Makhaya Ntini (16.2-over) took three wickets each fuelled by Morne Morkel obtaining two wickets in each innings. Kallis in his 10-over spell too got one in terms of the opener Wasim Jaffer who contributed just 19 runs to team total in the second innings.

For South Africa, the batsmen certainly proved their par by not repeating the same mistakes as the Indian batsmen did, and took the game away from India putting a heavy total of 494 for 7. A B de Villiers unbeaten double century as his first test double ton is the most significant part which left Indian bowlers fruitless search for his wicket till the end.

Among Indian bowlers it was only Harbhajan Singh who proved his effectiveness as a spinner on any flat track in India by taking four wickets in the first innings. But it was paceman Dale Steyn who sphere headed South African bowling department taking a total of 8 wickets in this match.

However, at the end it was a good call from South Africa as they approached the third day by declaring their innings total with the overnight score of 494/7 and succeeded in tasting a convincing victory by defeating India by an innings and 90 runs which lasted only for three days. It was India’s first innings defeat in eight years since 2001.