Last year’s nightmares of the 0-3 Test series defeat against New Zealand came rushing back as India’s batting order gave way against quality spin to lose the first Test to South Africa.
Chasing a low 124-run victory target, India were bundled out for 93 runs after lunch on the third day as the Proteas took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
That India had a formidable batting line-up against quality spin looks a thing of the past now, as they crashed to their fourth defeat in last six Test matches at home.
The 124-run target was the second lowest target that India failed to chase down, the second lowest target successfully defended by South Africa and also the second lowest target successfully defended in Tests in India.
So what propelled South Africa to their first Test victory in 15 years? India played 4 spinners but Jasprit Bumrah took 5 wickets in the first innings. India played six left-handers but the South African spinners forced them to play the wrong line and made them succumb to pressure outshining their Indian counterparts.
The South African spin assault was led by Simon Harmer, who claimed a match haul of eight wickets as India, without captain Shubman Gill – ruled out because of a neck injury he suffered on Saturday – were a batsman short.
Before lunch, pace spearhead Marco Jansen dismissed the Indian openers, reducing the hosts effectively to 10/3 without Gill.
Jansen struck in his first over, getting the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal to edge a length ball to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, who followed it up with a diving catch to remove KL Rahul.
Harmer, who had stats of 4/30 in the first Indian innings, delivered crucial blows in the second session, first by inducing a pull shot from Dhruv Jurel that went straight into the hands of Corbin Bosch at deep mid-wicket and then taking a simple return catch to send back Rishabh Pant and weaken India’s run chase.
Aiden Markram’s off-spin dismissed Washington Sundar for 31 after he tried to anchor the chase, between leg before dismissals of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav by Harmer.
After Axar Patel hit two sixes off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj to pump up the crowd, the bowler exacted revenge by having him caught by Temba Bavuma for 26 off 17 balls.
Maharaj then struck next ball to dismiss Mohammed Siraj and bowl out India and set off wild celebrations in the camp of the South Africans – the current world Test champions.
Before coming to India, the Proteas came from behind to square the Test series in Pakistan and India will have to do exactly that to avoid another embarrassing Test series defeat at home.
The second Test starts in Guwahati from Saturday.
