Subhradeep
- Dec 28, 2023
- 3 min read

SA vs IND, 1st Test: SA defeat India by an innings and 32 runs

South Africa vs India, 1st Test, Day 3: Dean Elgar's 185, Marco Jansen's 84 and Nandre Burger's 4-33 hand South Africa Test win by an innings and 32 runs.

South Africa vs India, 1st Test, Day 3: India lost to South Africa by an innings in Centurion Test | Walking Wicket (Photo_ ©X_Twitter) — India lost Centurion Test by an innings and 32 runs to South Africa (Photo: ©X/Twitter)

Brief Scores: SA 408 (Elgar 185, Jansen 84*, Bumrah 4/69) beat IND 245 & 131 (Kohli 76, Burger 4/33, Jansen 3/36) by innings and 32 runs.

Player of the Match: Dean Elgar (185 runs)

Marco Jansen’s tremendous batting ensured South Africa would get a huge lead of 163 runs. India’s batting was so poor that, except for Virat Kohli, no one looked to put money on their wicket.

KL Rahul helped India to reach 245 with his masterclass century on a tough surface. But Dean Elgar, on his penultimate test, remained unbeaten on 140* to provide the Proteas a handy 11-run lead, with five wickets still in hand. They were looking for a huge score on the third day of the first Test at the SuperSport Park, Centurion.

Talking point from South Africa vs India: India seek application from the batters

India’s batting was really poor in both the innings. On a pitch where the number seventh batter from the opposition scored 84*, India looked clueless in their batting. Both the openers in both the innings got out cheaply. India needs to improve their skills in the batting department.

Gritty and Brave Dean Elgar_ A rare character for the modern T20-eulogising generation (Images: ©X/Twitter) — Dean Elgar scored 185 in first innings against India (Images: ©X/Twitter)

Elgar-Jansen 111-run partnership powers SA to 392/7 at lunch, leading by 147 runs

India rocked hard to blow away South Africa. Jasprit Burmah started well for the first 40 minutes with the ball, but India again slipped the intensity. Dean Elgar scored 150 in style, with a boundary against Prasidh Krishna. Marco Jansen, too, has great support, as he celebrated his second Test fifty with two back-to-back boundaries against Mohammad Siraj.

Shardul Thakur finally returned to break the 111-run sixth wicket stand, as Elgar (185) got an edge on the leg-side bouncer. South Africa reached 392/7 in the first session to lead by 147 runs.

SA finishes on 408 in their first innings, leading by 163 runs

Bumrah didn’t allow South Africa to go further after the break. His peach of a delivery sent Kagiso Rabada’s off stump for a cartwheel, while his yorker was too good for Nandre Burger. Jansen stood on 84*, as injured Temba Bavuma could not bat, They finished their first innings on 408, with a lead of 163 runs.

SA pacers put India under pressure at Tea with 62/3, IND trail by 101 runs

In a tricky hour before the interval, India lost both openers, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, on cheap scores. Shubman Gill played some magnificent shots and mostly looked to take on the bowlers aggressively. But Jansen’s cracking yorker broke his stumps, as India went to Tea at 62/3, still trailing by 101 runs.

South Africa vs India, 1st Test, Day 3_ Nandre Burger's 4-33 helps South Africa beat India in 1st Test _Walking Wicket (Photo_ ©X_Twitter) — Nandre Burger took 4-33 in 2nd Innings (Photo: ©X/Twitter)

Burger’s 4/33 ensures SA’s inning and 32-run victory, India bundles out for 131

India started the third and final session aggressively. Virat Kohli led the charge with some fluent shots, one of the highlights being his punch through the square of the wicket for a six. However, SA came back into the game with three quick wickets.

Kohli kept playing his shots but got no support from the other end. Nandre Burger was fantastic with his pace and short balls to finish with 4/33, as South Africa took a 1-0 lead with an inning and 32-run victory.

What’s to come

The second and final test of the series will begin on January 03, 2024, in Newlands, Cape Town.

Statistical highlights from the India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 3

Dean Elgar registered the second-highest individual score (185) for a SA opener against India.
Elgar now has 996 runs against India in Tests, his highest aggregate against any team in the format.
Bumrah’s 4/68 was India’s third-best Test bowling figure at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Rabada has dismissed Rohit Sharma seven times in 11 Test innings at an average of 14.9.
Rabada now also has 51 Test wickets against India in 13 games at an average of 23.18.
Kohli is now the second-highest Test run-scorer (1350) as an India batter against South Africa after Sachin Tendulkar.