India vs South Africa, Third Test in Nagpur Highlights - Seven-Star Ravichandran Ashwin Takes Hosts to Match, Series Win
Ravichandran Ashwin scalped seven wickets to take India to a brilliant win over South Africa in the third Test in Nagpur, in three days. Virat Kohli and Co. now have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. Catch all scores and highlights here.
Ravichandran Ashwin picked seven wickets for 66 to take India to a 124-run victory over South Africa in Nagpur on Friday. Courtesy this win, India have taken an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The fourth match of the series is in Delhi from December 3. (SCORECARD | NEWS | VIDEOS)
India needed eight wickets for win on the third day, and they achieved the task in style. Barring Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis none of the South African batsmen could pose any challenge for the Indian spinners. This is India's first home Test series win under captain Virat Kohli. This is also South Africa's first away Test series loss in nine years.
The star of the show was Ashwin, who scripted his 15th five-wicket haul to help India win the match and the series. "A batsman goes out there for a hundred and I go there to get five-wicket a haul. Today Amit (Mishra) bowled really well. He brought us back into the match by dismissing Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, who were doing really well," said Ashwin, who was also declared the man-of-the match.ÂÂ
Virat Kohli, who achieved his first home series win as Test captain, credited Ashwin for the win. "It is very pleasing to beat a tough team like South Africa. We have been positive throughout the entire series. Ashwin is a world class spinner, probably the best in the world. He is the reason why we have been winning consistently," he said.
"Amit Mishra showed great character to dismiss Amla and du plessis, that was the turning point. It was a tough wicket but its all about the application. Our batsmen showed character throughout the series."
15:22 hrs IST: THAT'S IT! INDIA WIN BY 124 RUNS Ravichandran Ashwin picks his seventh wicket as he clean bowls Morne Morkel to take India to victory in the match and series. Morkel b Ashwin 4 (8)
15:15 hrs IST: WICKET! And there goes the ninth South African wicket as Kagiso Rabada is caught at first slip by Kohli off Ashwin. This is the off-spinner's sixth wicket of the innings. Rabada c Kohli b Ashwin 6 (17)
15:11 hrs IST: The South African tail wagging a bit! But Indian spinners attacking relentlessly. Ashwin from one end and Mishra from the other.
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15:04 hrs IST: India need just two more wickets. Virat Kohli using spinners from both ends and the body language of the Indians tell clearly that they are withing striking distance of victory. Every body is beaming with excitement. ÂÂ
14:57 hrs IST: WICKET! Ashwin at it again as he scalps Vilas. Another fifer for the Indian bowler. The ball spins down leg, takes a faint edge off Vilas' gloves and straight into the hands of wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Vilas c Saha b Ashwin 12 (16)
14:53 hrs IST: WICKET! Ravichandran Ashwin dismisses Duminy right after tea. It is a straight delivery that hits Duminy's pad between off and middle and the umpire's fingers goes up. Duminy lbw b Ashwin 19 (44)
14:52 hrs IST: India have taken the second new ball. Ashwin is known to be an expert with new balls. Will he be able to weave his spin web in the final session?ÂÂ
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14:46 hrs IST: At the first day-night Test in Adelaide, New Zealand has been dismissed for 202 in the first innings. Mitchell Starc has been Australia's best bowler with figures of 3/24.
14:40 hrs IST: Ishant is bowling from one end while Mishra is bowling from the other. So far the fast bowler hasn't picked any wicket in this Test, can he join the party?ÂÂ
14:34 hrs IST: Meanwhile, in Adelaide, Peter Siddle picks his 200th Test wicket by dismissing Doug Bracewell in the first day-night Test. New Zealand on 194/9
14:30 hrs IST: Here we are for the final session! Can Virat Kohli's men make history today by defeating South Africa?
14:24 hrs IST: Bad news coming from Bangladesh. Senior player Shakib Al Hasan banned for one match after arguing with umpire during a Bangladesh Premier League match.
14:18 hrs IST: As Virat Kohli's Team India eye Test series win, ODI and T20I captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has signed a multi-million dollar deal with a Dubai-based company to be their brand ambassador.
14:10 hrs IST: IT'S TEA. India have one more session to win the match and clinch the series today itself. In the second session, South Africa scored 46 runs but Mishra's double strikes have tilted the match heavily in hosts' favour. Amla and du Plessis put up a brave fight by stitching a 72 run partnership, but the leg-spinner scalped both.
Except Duminy and Vilas, all other batsmen are out and Virat Kohli is eyeing his first home-series win as India captain.
14:08 hrs IST: India need four more wickets. Can they wrap up the match today itself? Or will South Africans live to fight another day?
14:00 hrs IST: JP Duminy and Dane Vilas are the last two recognised batsmen for South Africa. India are clearly in sight of match and series win.
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13:54 hrs IST: ANOTHER WICKET! Mishra strikes again and this time it's du Plessis. The ball keeps low as the Proteas batsman fails to judge it properly, to be clean bowled. du Plessis b Mishra 39 (152) ÂÂ
13:53 hrs IST: Meanwhile, it's dinner in Adelaide with New Zealand on 173/7. Doug Bracewell is batting on five and Bradley Watling on 24. ÂÂ
13:48 hrs IST: The body language of the Indians have changed after the dismissal of Amla. They look much more confident after the South African captain's departure. The players are cheering each other much more now.ÂÂ
13:41 hrs IST: BIG WICKET! Amit Mishra finally gives India an important breakthrough by dismissing Amla. He pitches the ball on off, which drifts and takes Amla's edge. India captain Kohli makes no mistake by taking a good catch. Amla c Kohli b Mishra 39 (167)
13:36 hrs IST: Indian spinners have been unlucky today on a number of occasions. They have been able to extract spin but the ball missed the bat's edge by hair's breadth. ÂÂ
13:28 hrs IST: South Africa are showing just why they are the No. 1 team. On a spin-friendly track, the absolute grit with which Amla and Du Plessis have defended is just brilliant. Indian bowlers don't have any answer for their patience!
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13:16 hrs IST: After spinners' failure to break Amla-du Plessis partnership, Ishant Sharma has been brought back in the attack. Will he be able to deliver for the hosts? He hits Amla's pads in the second delivery but the appeal is turned down. The ball was missing leg.
13:13 hrs IST: Meanwhile, in the Adelaide Test, New Zealand lose another wicket. Mark Craig dismissed by Nathan Lyon as New Zealand stutter on 164/7. ÂÂ
13:05 hrs IST: Quite a few appeals there but to no avail! The frustration of the Indians imminent here. What card will Virat Kohli play now?ÂÂ
12:55 hrs IST: Hashim Amla has had a poor run of form in the current India tour, with no half-centuries so far. But today, he looks like man on a mission. He is tackling Indian spinners with a monk like serenity and is getting able help from Faf du Plessis.ÂÂ
12:48 hrs IST: Meanwhile in the Adelaide Test, Mitchell Starc picks his third wicket by bowling Mitchell Santner out. New Zealand on 142 for six.
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12:42 hrs IST: Amla-du Plessis partnership crosses 60. This is South Africa's highest partnership in this series against India.
12:40 hrs IST: Meanwhile at Adelaide, in the first day-night Test, New Zealand are slowly recovering after the early collapse of wickets against Australia. The Kiwis are on 138/5 in 46 overs with Mitchell Santner batting on 27 and Bradley Watling on 13.ÂÂ
12:34 hrs IST: All eyes will be on spinners, particularly Ashwin, to break Amla-du Plessis partnership. Ashwin has a staggering average of 18.61 in Tests this year.ÂÂ
12:25 hrs IST: Huge appeal for a catch! Indian players think Faf du Plessis edged to Wriddhiman Saha off Ravindra Jadeja's delivery. But umpire Bruce Oxenford shows no interest.
12:22 hrs IST: South Africa's target now under 200. Slowly but steadily Amla and Du Plessis have brought the confidence back in Proteas supporters.
12:15 hrs IST: Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis' partnership crosses 50. Bit of a worry there for the hosts if these two continue like this.
12:10 hrs IST: Ashwin resumes from round the wicket. Short leg, slip and leg slip in place. Can he continue his wicket-taking mojo?
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12:06 hrs IST: Welcome back for the second session. South Africa have done well to hang in there on a tough wicket but the challenge resumes again. If they are to come out unscathed, a lot rests on Amla and Du Plessis. Can they do it?
11:50 hrs IST: New Zealand are not in the "pink" of their health in the day-night Test. McCullum, Taylor and Williamson are all back in the hut and Australia have seized the initiative in Adelaide.
11:39 hrs IST: Over in Adelaide, New Zealand have been jolted after the break as Tom Latham departs for a well-made 50. Can the old firm of Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum deliver the goods?
11:30 hrs IST: That will be lunch and South Africa will be slightly pleased with their effort. They got off to a disastrous start in the morning as they lost Elgar and AB de Villiers cheaply. R Ashwin became the leading wicket-taker but since then, Amla and du Plessis have steadied the ship with a solid stand. South Africa have gone past 100 but will the pair continue?
11:13 hrs IST: Faf du Plessis brings up South Africa's 100 with a six off Jadeja. Both batsmen have now settled in and the stand is keeping South Africa afloat. However, there is still a long way to go.
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11:02 hrs IST: Over in Adelaide, Tom Latham has stroked the first fifty in Day-Night Tests and New Zealand have reached 80/2 at Tea. Remember, since the nature of the match is such, there will be a Tea break for 20 minutes first and there will be a 40-minute dinner break later.
10:58 hrs IST: Ishant is getting some reverse swing but Amla is playing him well. The partnership is worth 30 runs, which is the highest in the match for South Africa. They need a big one.
10:52 hrs IST: So far, Amla and du Plessis are hanging in there but they are not able to rotate the strike. The pressure is just building and one feels it is only a matter of time before the resistance ends.
10:45 hrs IST: In Adelaide, Australia have got the massive wicket of Kane Williamson. Mitchell Starc with a magnificent yorker and it is the first failure on this tour for New Zealand's run-machine.
10:40 hrs IST: Today is the death anniversary of Phillip Hughes, who tragically died in 2014 after he was hit on the side of the head by a bouncer. The cricketing world is poorer without his presence. RIP, Phillip Hughes.
10:35 hrs IST: Another statistical record for R Ashwin in this Test. He is now the leading wicket-taker in Tests in 2015 with 51 wickets in just eight Tests at an average of 51. He is really becoming a wicket-taking machine.
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10:27 hrs IST: The pink ball Test has seen several ups and downs. There has been plenty of uncertainty about the day-night Test but it is finally under way. Read this story here.
10:22 hrs IST: Jadeja and Ashwin are wheeling away. Both Amla and du Plessis are just hanging in there. Massive spin for Ashwin but not so much for Jadeja. Amit Mishra is into the attack.
10:14 hrs IST: Faf du Plessis made a mark in Test cricket thanks to his epic vigil against Australia in Adelaide where he scored his maiden century. He is in poor form but South Africa will give an arm and a leg for du Plessis to repeat this performance.
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10:08 hrs IST: Ashwin has deceived a terrific batsman with a terrific delivery. One feels that this is it for South Africa. AB de Villiers lbw Ashwin 9 (21).
The carrom ball from Ashwin, it just spins away and de Villiers plays down the wrong line, the ball hits the back pad and that would have hit middle and off stump. South Africa in deep trouble.
10:00 hrs IST: So far, de Villiers has been using his feet regularly to tackle the spinners but he is also being troubled by some awkward bounce. Amla, on the other hand, is just hanging in there against Jadeja. Over in Adelaide, Kane Williamson and Tom Latham have steadied New Zealand after the fall of Martin Guptill in the historic day-night Test.
09:55 hrs IST: AB de Villiers survives a close stumping and a missed sweep but he manages to get off the pair.
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09:49 hrs IST: It was only a matter of time. South Africa have lost another quick wicket and Elgar, who struck a confident six couple of balls ago, departs. Elgar c Pujara b Ashwin 18 (58).
Ashwin tosses this delivery up and it drifts in, Elgar once again stabs at it with hard hands and the inside edge lobs off the pad to silly point.
09:45 hrs IST: The first confident stroke of the day. Ashwin tosses this delivery up on off stump and Elgar slog sweeps it to deep mid wicket. The ball landed full on the boundary ropes.
09:40 hrs IST: Two slips and a gully in place for Dean Elgar. So far, both Amla and the left-hander have shown calmness. They will need to hold on though and Ishant is struggling to get his radar right.
09:31 hrs IST: Ishant Sharma steams in for the first over of the day. A slip and gully in place. How will South Africa approach the target?
09:28 hrs IST: The Indian team is in the huddle as they prepare to chase a rare series win over South Africa. Can Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers dish out one last bit of magic?
09:20 hrs IST: Meanwhile, November 27 has witnessed a historic event in Test cricket. It is time for the inaugural Day-Night Test match as Australia square off against New Zealand. This Test will be played with the pink ball and it ushers a new era in Tests. Josh Hazlewood has also created history as he has taken the first wicket with the pink ball in international cricket
09:15 hrs IST: A warm welcome to day three of the third Test between India and South Africa from Nagpur. India are coming close to achieving a magnificent Test series win over South Africa. On a raging turner, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been unstoppable. It will require a monumental effort from the Proteas batsmen to chase down 310.
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South Africa will have to produce something extra-ordinary to stop India winning the Nagpur Test. Sunil Gavaskar feels the South Africans, just like the Mohali Test, are losing the game in their minds and have shown little urge to play Indian spin the way it should be.
Wickets were on a freefall on Day 2 of the third Test of the Freedom Series on Thursday. A record-equalling 20 crashed on Thursday and three spinners - Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Imran Tahir - profited due to poor skills from batsmen on either side. Gavaskar slammed critics for calling the Jamtha wicket, "under-prepared".
Shot out for 79 in their first innings, South Africa managed the lowest test total by a visiting side in India, beating the previous mark of 82 posted by Sri Lanka in 1990 at Chandigarh. The touring batsmen appeared clueless against the accuracy of Ashwin and Jadeja on a pitch offering variable pace and bounce for the bowlers.
Now to win the match, South Africa will have to make the highest ever score by a visiting side in the fourth innings of a Test match in India, the current best being the 276/5 of the West Indies in 1987 at Delhi, thanks to a brilliant century by Viv Richards, who made an unbeaten 109 off 102 balls on a turning track.
South Africa's best effort while chasing on Indian wickets has been 164 for six in Mumbai in 2000. Battling demons in their minds and needing another 278 runs for a win with eight wickets in hand, it will need a Herculean effort from Hashim Amla and Co.