India seal series with record win
We are lucky to have the group of players we have in the last three-four years. It’s amazing to see that hunger and passion for all the guys to keep improving. Looking at the larger picture of the Test Championship, every game has value so we’re not going to take our foot off the gas in the third Test. No one’s going to relax at any stage, that’s a guarantee.
VIRAT KOHLI, India captain
Umesh Yadav led an inspired bowling display as India thrashed South Africa by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test to clinch a record 11th-straight series triumph at home on Sunday.
The tourists were dismissed for 189 after following-on in the final session of day four in Pune, as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Vernon Philander, who made 37, and Keshav Maharaj, who scored 22, put up a brief resistance during their 56-run eighth-wicket stand, but Yadav broke through with the wicket of Philander.
He took his third wicket after sending back Kagiso Rabada for four and spinner Ravindra Jadeja trapped Maharaj lbw to wrap up the game as India went past Australia’s 10-series wins on home turf. Jadeja returned figures of 3-52.
The win also consolidated India’s number-one position in the world Test Championship with 200 points.
Skipper Virat Kohli set up the win with his unbeaten 254 -- a record seventh double-century for the star batsman -- in India’s 601 for five declared.
Ravichandran Ashwin struck twice in the morning session after the tourists started their second innings trailing by 326.
Ashwin had du Plessis -- who promoted himself to number four in the batting order -- caught behind for five with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha holding on to a juggling catch.
The off-spinner soon got opening batsman Dean Elgar caught for 48 as South Africa slipped further.
Paceman Ishant Sharma struck with his second ball of the day to trap Aiden Markram lbw for nought.
Markram had a long discussion with Elgar over whether to review the on-field call but walked, only for the replays to suggest the ball would have gone over the stumps.
Kohli, who now has 7,054 runs from 81 Tests, put together crucial partnerships including a 225-run fifth-wicket stand with Jadeja, who made 91, to extend India’s dominance.
Du Plessis admitted Kohli’s knock and India’s mammoth total made the tourists play catch-up after the hosts elected to bat first.
“The way India batted, especially Virat with 250, it takes a lot of mental toughness. Two days in the field can wear you down,” said du Plessis.
“Especially that second evening, the batsmen were a bit weak in the mindset. From then it’s playing catch-up. We were found wanting in this Test match.”
SCORES IN BRIEF
India: First innings 601 for 5 declared.
South Africa: First innings 275 and second innings 189 all out (Elgar 48, Bavuma 38, Philander 37, Maharaj 22; Yadav 3-22, Ashwin 2-45, Jadeja 3-52)
Result: India won by an innings and 137 runs and lead the three-match series 2-0.
Player-of-the-match: Virat Khohli.
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