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Centurion, January 17
Debutant Lungi Ngidi took six wickets as South Africa defeated India by 135 runs to claim victory in the second Test, also winning the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest here today. Seamer Ngidi, 21, recorded figures of 6/39, his best in first class cricket, as South Africa bowled out India for 151 just before lunch.
In the ICC rankings, India are the top-ranked side, while South Africa are ranked second. The Proteas, though, will not be able to displace India from the perch even if they win the series 3-0. The third Test starts at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on January 24.
India resumed the final day on 35/3, chasing a victory target of 287, having been dealt a huge blow the evening before when Ngidi bagged the wicket of captain Virat Kohli (5). Their slender hopes were dealt a further setback when Cheteshwar Pujara (19) became the first Indian player ever to be run out twice in a Test.
Ngidi had a hand in that too as he chased the ball down to the boundary and stopped a four, with his cut-back to AB de Villiers allowing for a bullet throw to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock that saw Pujara short. Pujara had also been run out first ball in the first innings and has now been involved in six of India’s last eight run-outs in Tests.
It would start a procession of wickets as Parthiv Patel (19) picked out Morne Morkel on the fine leg boundary off Kagiso Rabada (3/47), with the big fast bowler pulling off a magnificent catch on the run.
Hardik Pandya (6) was caught by de Kock off Ngidi, before the seamer also induced an edge from Ravichandran Ashwin (3) to the wicketkeeper to leave India reeling at 87/7 . Rohit Sharma (47) took the attack to the bowlers before he was magnificently caught at fine leg by de Villiers off Rabada attempting a hook.
The innings wrapped up quickly after that as Mohammed Shami (28) was caught by Morkel off Ngidi and Jasprit Bumrah spooned a catch to Vernon Philander at mid-off to hand the youngster his sixth wicket. — Reuters
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