PUNE: As the clock struck 3 on Sunday afternoon at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium and the giant screens confirmed Keshav Maharaj’s dismissal, India scripted history.
An innings-and-137-run win over South Africa — their biggest against Proteas — helped Virat Kohli & Co to an unassailable 2-0 lead in Freedom Trophy. With this win, they also extended their home-series-win streak to a record 11. Their last defeat at home was back in 2012 (against England). Since then, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane (one-off Test against Afghanistan) have led India to a dominance that is unparalleled in world cricket.
The previous side to hold the record was Australia. They'd notched up ten wins on the trot, first between November 1994 to November 2000 and then between July 2004 and November 2008. India's run is no mean feat, despite coming in an era where teams are difficult to beat in home conditions. But the authority with which this Indian team has rolled over sides at home on placid pitches makes it all the more special.
Their latest on Sunday was on one such pitch. In fact, South Africa felt that the bounce offered by the track — sans speed — reminded them of the ones they find back home. While there wasn’t any exaggerated turn, the five-bowler attack took 20 South African wickets over five sessions. Compare this to the five the hosts lost, and you get the big picture. The visitors' confidence has been dented to such an extent that a clean sweep looks likely in Ranchi next week.
Asked to follow-on — a first since their readmission to the game — South Africa knew they had their task cut out. Despite sending down 105.4 overs and spending all of Saturday on the field, it was a no-brainer that Kohli asked Proteas to bat again. He wanted his pacers to use the morning freshness of the pitch, and they stepped up. Ishant Sharma gave Aiden Markram a silver pair. Umesh Yadav struck soon after. Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar resisted for a while, but the two didn't last even till lunch. From there on, it was only going to be a matter of time.
“When we started off as a group, we were No 7 (in rankings). The only way was up," said Kohli. "We laid down a few things; told everyone to work hard at practice. We are lucky to have the group of players we have had over the last three, four years. Their hunger and passion are amazing."
South Africa’s batting has clicked only once in four innings. They didn’t even touch 300 on a pitch where India plundered 601. But given their inexperience at the top, this is understandable. However, South Africa’s undoing in this Test has more to do with the ball.
Their bowlers have failed to exert pressure over extended periods. So much so that Du Plessis has found it difficult to station fielders around batsmen’s eyeline, adopting defensive fields to contain the flow of runs. India, on the other hand, have been on money; picking up wickets and ensuring that each run had to be earned.
“Consistency,” is what Du Plessis found as the main difference between the two attacks. “You can take it player by player in both teams... The ability to land the ball in the right areas for a long period of time, and they do that as a bowling attack. I found that in the first and the second Test, there were periods when we did it too. Vernon and KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Keshav some times were building pressure. We managed to keep the rate at 2.8 or 2.9; we were sort of in the game. But then the pressure gets released, their batting is on top, and it is difficult to stop. Unfortunately, a series in India is tough. It’s a real, real character test. Only you can find answers for yourself.”