India Thrash South Africa: 1st Test Day 5

Vishakhapatnam: A 5-wicket haul for Mohammed Shami and four wickets for Ravindra Jadeja on Day 5 helped India register a comfortable 203-run win over South Africa in the first Test. Virat Kohli's team now leads the three-match series 1-0. 

Team India celebrate win against South Africa

Starting the final day in Visakhapatnam, India won the first Test against South Africa by 203 runs after a Mohammed Shami fifer helped them to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series.

South Africa suffered a monumental batting collapse, where they were reduced to 70/8, in the morning session after resuming from 11/1 with Aiden Markram and Theunis de Bruyn at the crease on the start of the fifth day. Despite a late lower order 91-run partnership between Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy, South Africa slumped to Shami’s 5/35 and Ravindra Jadeja’s 4/87, which included a magical three-wicket maiden over.

On being asked for the win, which was not easy, Virat Kohli admits that it was so. Adds that they did get the result they wanted but admires the resistance shown by South Africa.  We expressed ourselves in second innings. Rohit was outstanding. Mayank was too. Pujara played with the tempo. It was a hard grind with the pitch slowing down. If fast bowlers begin to think spinners would do all the job, it does not do any good. In India too, they are making to look contributions. They are giving 100 percent. 

Also read: Rohit Sharma scripts history vs South Africa

Impactful players in the test match

Kohli said once you get 500 on the board, you are always in the driving seat irrespective of the fight shown by the opposition. Praises his batsmen in both innings for scoring quickly and says that it was a tough grind, but due to the weather. On the pacers doing well on a track suited to the spinners, Kohli says that it all depends on the attitude. 

Adds that in the last 2 years, every Indian pacer has looked to contribute on every pitch, albeit bowling shorter spells and communicating well with the captain, even when conditions are difficult. Praises Ashwin and Jadeja for bowling consistently well, on a flat track in the first innings, with the offspinner taking 7 there and Jadeja taking quick wickets in the second. 

Rohit Sharma has been declared The man of the match for his twin hundreds(176 and 127). Says that he just wanted to go out there and do what he does best, exploring opportunities at the top. Thanks the coach and management for giving him that chance.

On Mohammed Shami's spell this morning, Kohli feels that the pacer has always done well in the recent past and when the ball reverses, he is unstoppable. In the end, praises all the bowlers.

This is it from our coverage of the first Test. Both the teams will travel to Pune where the 2nd Test will be played from Thursday next week.

More articles: 4 reasons to watch India v South Africa Test series