RSA VS IND - 2nd Test, India tour of South Africa, 2023-24

The two captains collect the The Freedom Trophy as the series ends in a 1-1 deadlock. Unfortunately, we don't have a series-decider. Well, this two-Test series got over in five days. India were blown away in Centurion in three days which meant that the final frontier couldn't be conquered. After getting outskilled in all three departments, India came back strongly with their pacers setting up a famous win here in Cape Town. On that note, it's time to bring the curtains down on this New Year's Test. The second edition of SA20 will commence in less than a week. India, on the other hand, will be hosting Afghanistan for a 3-match T20 series. Plenty of cricketing action coming your way. For now, it's goodbye from Abhinand Raghavendran, Sagar Chawla and Praveen.

Rohit Sharma: A great feat. In Centurion, we had to learn from the mistakes we made in that Test. We came back pretty well, especially our bowlers. Even though the conditions were tough for batters, you still go to put the ball in the right areas. Had some plans as to what we wanted to do and the boys got rewarded for it. We applied ourselves, we batted really well to get a 100-run lead, not pleasing to see the last six wickets. We knew that it's going to be a short game, we knew every run matters, to get that first innings lead was very important for us. (On Siraj) Very very special, something that you don't get to see quite often, a spell like that. We spoke about keeping things very simple, because the pitch will do the rest for us and that's exactly what happened. Lot of credit to Siraj, Bumrah and Mukesh and Prasidh as well who supported them in whatever way they could. Whenever you come to this part of this world, it's always challenging. In the last 4-5 years, we have become a very good travelling team. We've played a lot of good cricket outside India, we take a lot of pride in our performance outside India. We would have liked to win the series. You cannot get everything. South Africa is a great team, they always challenge us, that's probably the reason we have not won a series. They are such a good cricket team. To come and win like this, we can take a lot of pride from this performance. (On Elgar) Such an important player for South Africa, what he's done throughout his career for South Africa, only few have done that. Very gritty. His wicket - we only spoke about how we want to get him out quickly. For someone to have a career like that, we do appreciate it, all of us. I'd like to wish him the best for the future. You don't get to see a player like that every now and then. Brilliant career, best wishes ahead.

Jasprit Bumrah | Player of the Series: This ground will always hold a special place in my heart. It was always a dream to play Test cricket and the journey started here, there's always fond memories of my first game. Very happy that it went well today as well. That journey started in 2018 - our bowling unit was experienced and we wanted to create an impact. We knew that if we want to do well in foreign conditions, we'll have to bowl a lot more and consistently. In India, the spinners do a lot more work. The vision started from there. Our team is also going through a transition. Lot of the bowlers have been changed, but the message is still the same, you have to keep fighting. It's not easy playing in South Africa, different conditions, the crowd is also something. We fought it out in the last game as well. It's difficult to keep coming at it because it requires a lot of strength and patience. If you lose it, in one session, the game goes out of your hand. We are very happy that we were able to do it in this game. I didn't expect the game to go this fast, I have never played a shorter Test match in my life. Looking at the wicket on the first day, nobody really thought that this much was going to happen. We wanted to bat first as well. Test cricket gives you surprises. Very happy that we got our first win (in Cape Town), a great series and a fighting series.

Dean Elgar | Player of the Series: I would have liked to do more in this game, we might have had a few more runs to try and defend. Still very proud of my performance that I had in Centurion. Finally on the board there in the hundred club. Nice to contribute to a winning cause. Some really tough batting conditions throughout. It (3-Test series) would have been fantastic, maybe back in Centurion (laughs). You want to challenge yourself and play against the best in the world. Bumrah is a world-class bowler, he deserves this Man of the Series award. As a player, you want to test yourself and push yourself to different limits. Glad that I don't have to face these guys again. Fond memories. I'm sure I played that Test match when he (Bumrah) made his debut. We've also come a long way. Very grateful to play against these guys. (On his baggy green) Has had a bit of a journey. A lot of good, amazing memories. I received it in 2012 in the Perth debut, I have missed only one series with it and that was West Indies, captained the first series. It's got a special place at home and it doesn't leave, only leaves for duty, but that's now done and dusted. So I'm gonna have to find a special place for it. It is the first one and I am glad I finished with it.

Mohammed Siraj | Player of the Match: It's my best figures in Test career. I tried to be consistent, hit the right areas and not think too much. I wasn't consistent in the previous match and that's why we leaked a lot of runs. Worked hard on consistency and tried to be relentless with my lengths. That gave me a lot of rewards. When we play together, he (Bumrah) gets the message earlier. We try to analyse the wicket a little quicker so that the communication goes to the bowling circuit that this is the wicket and this is what we are looking to do . (Message to the fans) Thank you so much, keep supporting, keep loving.

Dean Elgar: A tough one for us. Pretty positive coming into this game. The first innings killed us with the bat. India bowled fantastically and used the conditions to a T. Still a draw, still a lot of positives for the young players that we have within the side. 2-0 would have been really nice, would have tasted a lot better today, still managed 1-1, proud of the boys. The way the bowlers bowled in this series and the way Aiden batted in the second innings is something out of the world. (On the Newlands pitch) It was a bit of a ripper. Naked eye, it looked like it's going to be a nice one. It played totally different to what everyone thought. Unfortunately, we were on the receiving end, big learning curve for the future. If you ask Rohit, he'd have batted first as well. They just out-skilled us in that first session.

Stats by Roshan Gede

Shortest completed Test matches (by balls bowled)
642 - SA vs IND, Cape Town, 2024
656 - AUS vs SA, Melbourne, 1932
672 - WI vs ENG, Bridgetown, 1935
788 - ENG vs AUS, Manchester, 1888
792 - ENG vs AUS, Lord’s, 1888

India’s Test wins in South Africa
By 123 runs - Johannesburg, 2006
By 87 runs - Durban, 2010
By 63 runs - Johannesburg, 2018
By 113 runs - Centurion, 2021
By 7 wickets - Cape Town, 2024
*India is the first Asian team to win a Test match at Newlands, Cape Town.

Lowest match aggregates in completed India vs South Africa Tests
464 - Cape Town, 2024
652 - Nagpur, 2015
660 - Durban, 1996
678 - Mumbai WS, 2000
694 - Mohali, 2015

Biggest win-margins for India in SENA countries (by wickets)
By 10 wickets vs New Zealand, Hamilton, 2009
By 8 wickets vs New Zealand, Wellington, 1968
By 8 wickets vs New Zealand, Auckland, 1976
By 8 wickets vs Australia, Melbourne, 2020
By 7 wickets vs England, Nottingham, 2007
By 7 wickets vs South Africa, Cape Town, 2024

Two-day Tests featuring India
India vs Afghanistan, Bengaluru, 2018
India vs England, Ahmedabad, 2021
South Africa vs India, Cape Town, 2024

Lowest match aggregates against India (both innings all-out)
193 - England (Ahmedabad, 2021)
212 - Afghanistan (Bengaluru, 2018)
229 - New Zealand (Mumbai WS, 2021)
230 - England (Leeds, 1986)
231 - (South Africa, Cape Town, 2024)

Chasing 79 for victory, young Jaiswal came out all guns blazing. He threw his bat at almost everything and smashed six boundaries as he got his team off to a flier. India lost three wickets but they hardly broke a sweat in the fourth innings. Siraj and Bumrah bagged six-fers, Markram played one helluva innings. The pitch, undoubtedly, will be a major talking point. Live pictures, meanwhile, shows Virat Kohli presenting Elgar a signed Indian jersey. Stick around, presentations coming up in a bit...

13:36 Local Time, 11:36 GMT, 17:06 IST: Phew! This New Year's Test is done and dusted inside four and a half sessions - shortest completed Test match. Dean Elgar's international career comes to an end. This is going to be an emotional moment for him as players from both teams exchange handshakes. Opting to bat, South Africa were bundled out for 55 in the morning session - their lowest score in Tests since their readmission - as Siraj ran riot with a six-fer. In reply, India were quick to get into the lead but they collapsed in an unbelievable manner as they lost their last six wickets without adding a run. After conceding a lead of 98, South Africa lost three wickets as 23 wickets fell on the opening day. The Test continued to progress at a brisk pace even today. Bumrah was on the money from the word go and picked up a fifer. For South Africa, Markram played one of his best Test knocks as he notched up a century on this devilish surface to take his team's lead over 50. Siraj removed the big fish and Bumrah wrapped up the proceedings to finish with 6/61.

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR, fuller than a length, Shreyas Iyer stands tall and thumps it over mid-on. Shreyas Iyer and Rohit hug it out. India level the series and become the first Asian side to win a Test in Cape Town!

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, no ball, Shreyas Iyer backs away and Jansen bowls one in the blockhole. Shreyas Iyer can only jam it towards cover

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, no run, in the air and safe! Short ball that keeps climbing. A hopping Shreyas Iyer fends awkwardly. Hits the bottom glove and falls safely in the vacant silly point region

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, no run, bumper, Shreyas Iyer goes after with a pull shot. He's late into the shot as well. Over the blade and a jumping Verreynne can't pouch it cleanly

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, no run, short of a good length ball, defended into the off-side

Marco Jansen to Shreyas Iyer, no run, seams in a bit with extra bounce. Shreyas Iyer misses the flick to get hit high on the front pad