By: Aditya Ahuja
India clinched a dominating 7-wicket victory over South Africa in Cape Town, wrapping up the match within 5 sessions. This result leveled the two-match series (1-1), making this game the shortest red-ball encounter in the 147-year history of Test cricket.
A total of 642 deliveries were bowled in this match, making it the briefest ever contest in Test cricket history, surpassing the 1932 Australia-South Africa Test in Melbourne that held the previous record with 656 deliveries. Australia emerged victorious in that match by an innings and 72 runs.
The West Indies’ clash against England in 1935 in Bridgetown was completed in 672 balls, with the Caribbean side triumphing by an innings and 161 runs.
In the Cape Town Test, the visitors managed to square the series 1-1 on a spiteful surface.
India made short work of the hosts with the ball on the second day, despite a heroic ton by opener Aiden Markram, and chased down a paltry target of 79 runs in under 11 overs.
The two-day affair brought the curtains down on the international career of Protea opener Dean Elgar. With regular skipper Temba Bavuma out injured, Elgar took over the reins in the second Test as the stand-in skipper. However, the hosts ended up on the losing side after two days of intriguing and, to a large extent, bizarre cricket.
India’s leading pace pair of Jasprit Bumrah (6-61) and Mohammed Siraj (6-15) were the architects of India’s redeeming, series-leveling win.
Brief scores: SA 55 all-out & 176 | IND 153 all-out and 80-3