MEMORABLE INDIASA CONTESTS IN TESTS

JOHANNESBURG December 15-18, 2006

South Africa began well by bowling out India for 249 with Sourav Ganguly, making a comeback, top-scoring with an unbeaten 51. The hosts hoped to bat the tourists out but ran into S Sreesanth. He swung the ball to bowl hosts for 84. Though South Africa fared better in the second innings, it didn’t stop India from winning their first Test in South Africa.

AHMEDABAD November 20-23, 1996

Best remembered for a hostile spell of fast bowling by Javagal Srinath. When South Africa were set a target of 170 on the fourth day, the result seemed predictable. However, Srinath produced one of the best spells of fast bowling to rip through the visitors’ batting. South Africa could only manage 105 as India won the first Test of the three-match series by 64 runs.

MUMBAI February 24-26, 2000

Batting first, India were out for 225 with Sachin Tendulkar scoring 97. He then claimed three wickets as South Africa were restricted to 176. India lost out in the second innings as they were out for 113 with Shaun Pollock wreaking havoc. A target of 163 was tough on a turning pitch. South Africa were reduced to 128-6, but Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis took them home.

DURBAN December 26-29, 2010

Batting first, India managed 205 with Dale Steyn claiming a six-for. Another series defeat loomed large but Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh bowled out hosts for 131. India were 93/5 in the second innings before VVS Laxman’s 96 took the team past 200. Chasing 302, SA ran into Sreesanth and got only 215.

JOHANNESBURG December 18-22, 2013

The sides evenly matched in the first innings, Cheteshwar Pujara’s ton and Virat Kohli’s 96 helped post 421. Facing a target of 458, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers sent the bowlers on a leather hunt. They needed 16 off 19 balls with four wickets to spare, but the loss of Du Plessis pegged them back and match ended in a draw.