Gladly for billions of cricket fans in this country, it was Team India who emerged on top of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands ground in Cape Town.

Midway through the second session of Day 2, Shreyas Iyer lofted Marco Jansen to the long-on boundary to hit the winning runs as India reached 80 for 3 to win by 7 wickets.

A Test series victory on South African soil remained elusive for the Indians, but at least they had the satisfaction of sharing honours in the 2-match series.

It was the shortest ever match played in the 147-year history of Test cricket. The match lasted 642 balls, or 107 overs!

The previous record was a 656-ball Test between Australia and South Africa, played in 1932 at Melbourne.

“I didn’t imagine this Test would end so fast.. I’ve never played such a short Test in my career,” said joint Man-of-the-Series Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah was India’s hero on Thursday, as he matched fellow-pacer Mohammed Siraj’s Day 1 effort of 6/15 with a haul of 6/61 in the second innings.

The Proteas, having conceded a 98-run lead after collapsing to 55 all out, managed to put up 176 on the board in second innings thanks to Aiden Markram’s brilliant century (106 off 103 balls, 17×4, 2×6).

India went all guns blazing and knocked up the target in just 12 overs.

Brief scores

South Africa 55 all out in 23.2 overs & 176 all out in 36.5 overs (Aiden Markram 106; Jasprit Bumrah 6/61, Mukesh Kumar 2/56).

India 153 all out in 34.5 overs & 80/3 in 12 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 28).

Result: India won by 7 wickets.

Series result: 1-1

Man of the Match: Md Siraj

Men of the Series: J Bumrah & Dean Elgar.

Rahul’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. The quality of the knock, as he hit his 8th test century, was outstanding.

After scoring the century, he achieved a rare feat which many Indian batsmen haven’t’ got. He became the only visiting batsman to score multiple centuries in Centurion.

Lets look at his best innings in oversee conditions:

123 Vs South Africa (Centurion) In 2021:

The Indian opener scored his first hundred in South Africa in Centurion (Boxing Day). His heroic efforts in testing conditions helped India win the match.

84 Vs England (Trent Bridge, Nottingham) 2021

In the first match of the series, the dashing opener rose to the occasion by scoring a composed 84 against the likes of Anderson and Broad on tough wicket in Nottingham. One note worthy thing during that knock was how he left the deliveries.

129 In Lords Vs England

Considered as one of the top knocks by India in English conditions, K L Rahul achieved this milestone by scoring a glorious knock of 129 in 2021. His technique and defence was praised by experts as his century helped India register an historic win against the English side during the 5 test match series.

Meet Team India’s new explosive wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma who never had a coach. Moreover, he learnt cricket through YouTube. He was in and out of the Vidarbha team because of his flamboyant batting. However, the fearless and free spirited cricketer is finally reaping the rewards for his passion of the game by getting a chance in the Indian team.

During India’s fourth T20 match in Raipur, Jitesh forged a game-changing 56-run stand with Rinku Singh. He also outscored the southpaw during the partnership by scoring a 19-ball 35 which included three huge sixes.

Recollecting Jitesh’s preparations, former Vidarbha captain Ranjit Paradkar said, “Jitesh watches Suryakumar Yadav’s batting more than Surya himself. He wanted to hit that shot over square leg and fine leg. At VCA, he trained for that particular shot over a week before going to the Asian Games.”

Jitesh also admitted that he is a huge fan of India’s Mr 360 degree batsman Surya.

“I am just trying to observe Suryakumar Yadav. I am not as skillful as him. But I am watching his videos on how he manipulates the field, and how he plays those risk-free shots. I am just trying to learn from his batting. Everyone has a different skill set. I am just trying to explore my game and make it 360,” said Jitesh during an interview.

During his knock, Rohit broke a massive record of former explosive West Indies opener Chris Gayle for hitting the most sixes in international cricket.

Rohit has so far struck 555 sixes in 453 matches while Gayle ended his international career with 553 sixes.

The ‘Universe Boss’ (as Gayle is popularly known) was quick to praise the ‘Hitman’ (as Rohit is called by fans) on social media platform ‘X’ (earlier known as Twitter) after the ‘sixes’ record was broken.

“Congrats, @ImRo45 – Most Sixes in International cricket. #45 Special,” tweeted Gayle.

Responding to Gayle’s tweet, Rohit wrote, “Thanks CG 4&5 on the back but our favorite number is 6”.

Earlier in a video message to Gayle, Rohit had written, “Universe boss is Universe Boss. Obviously I have taken a leaf out of his books. Over the years we have seen him, such a six hitting machine he is, wherever he plays.”

As per Raina, like Dhoni, SKY (As Suryakumar Yadav is popularly known) has the potential to make a substantial impact in the death overs.

“If anyone can make a huge impact in the death overs apart from MS Dhoni, then it’s Suryakumar Yadav,” said Raina during an interview.

Notably, SKY had a rough year in ODIs. However, he returned to form in style right before the World Cup, smashing two half-centuries during the ODI series against formidable Australia. But, his place in the playing XI remains uncertain for India’s opening match against Australia in Chennai on Sunday in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

With all-rounder Hardik Pandya returning to the side and right-handed batsman Shreyas Iyer also among the runs, Suryakumar could likely be on the bench for the all-important match.

Moreover, Raina believes that promising batter Shubman Gill will be India’s ‘strongest card’ for the mega event.

“Shubman Gill will be India’s strongest card. He has been in stunning form and has figured out how he needs to play in ODIs. He has spent some time with Virat and is batting with Rohit Sharma, who has hit double centuries. Gill has also hit a double century,” said the former aggressive southpaw.

The men in blue were assured of the top ranking at the World Cup – which begins on October 5 – following a dominating 99-run win over Australia in the second ODI here on Sunday night which helped them take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The teams will travel to Rajkot for the final ODI on September 27, before they face off in the World Cup in Chennai on October 8.

India’s batsmen set up the huge win with a commanding display that saw Shubman Gill (104 off 97, 6×4, 4×6) and Shreyas Iyer (105 off 90 balls, 11×4, 3×6) smash classy centuries. Skipper KL Rahul (52 off 38, 3×4, 3×6) and Ishan Kishan (31 off 18) continued the plunder before Suryakumar Yadav provide the knockout punch with an unbeaten 72 off 37 balls with 6 sixes – including four in a row off Cameron Green – and 6 fours.

Chasing a mountain, Australia were rattled at the outset by Prasidh Krishna who dismissed Matthew Short and stand-in captain Steve Smith off successive balls in his first over.

While Addressing a virtual media conference on Wednesday, India coach Rahul Dravid informed that Rohit Sharma’s second RT-PCR Test has also come positive .So there is no chance of coming back to the squad of this Indian opener for the England tour.

The selection committee, headed by Chetan Sharma, reportedly determined that the team chosen for the Ireland T20Is will play the series opener against England due to the short turnaround between the final day of the Test and the first T20I.

With the first Test scheduled to finish on July 5 and the first T20I scheduled for July 7 in Southampton, the selection committee has decided that the star players to give a three-day recovery period before they are picked from the second game .

“Once they are well rested, all of them will be a part of the regular white ball side but most of the players in Ireland will remain till the end of T20I series.” According to a source in the BCCI.

So The Squad for Ireland series will play first T20I against England. And then from the second T20I, all the stars (Rohit, if fit, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, Jadeja) will make a comeback.

On July 1 and July 3, while the Test match is taking place, India is also slated to play two T20 warm-up games. This makes it very clear that the team who triumphed in the Ireland series will play in these matches as well. In the two warm-up games, the visitors will compete against Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, respectively. When the team for the limited-overs portion of the England tour will be formally announced by the selectors is still to be determined.

India’s second-string team defeated Ireland 2-0 in the T20I series under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. The hosts were within four runs of winning the 2nd game but they fell just short.

India are scheduled to clash with England in three T20Is, three ODIs and the 5th and the final Test of the unfinished series.

India Tour of England Schedule:

India vs Derbyshire T20: July 1

India vs England 5th Test – July 1-5 @ Birmingham

India vs Northamptonshire: July 3

IND vs ENG 1st T20: July 7 @ Southampton

IND vs ENG 2nd T20: July 9 @ Birmingham

IND vs ENG 3rd T20: July 10 @ Nottingham

IND vs ENG 1st ODI: July 12 @ Kennington Oval

IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: July 14 @ Lord’s

IND vs ENG 3rd ODI: July 17 @ Manchester

By Nilanchal Naik