Indi a folded up for 151 in 50.2 overs as the hosts recorded a 135-run win to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.Lungi Ngidi (6/39) on debut and Kagiso Rabada(3/47) were the stars for the South Africans on the last day as they sealed the deal for the hosts in just two hours and 16 minutes. The Indian batsmen had no answer to the duo’s disciplined approach on the final morning as they shared 9 wickets between themselves in India’s second essay.
Indian batsmen showed no sense of holding ground as they lost wickets one after the other even before variable bounce could make its presence felt on the scoreboard. With skipper Virat Kohli back in the hut on the fourth evening itself, the slim chances India had of winning on the fifth day lay on the shoulders of Cheteshwar Pujara and Parthiv Patel.
The two overnight batsmen needed to be at the crease at least for the first session to harbour hopes of a miraculous win. But it took few time for South Africa to run out Pujara and with it went any hopes India harboured of chasing history in Centurion. Trying for a non-existent third and chancing AB de Villiers’s arm wasn’t the best thing to do from Pujara and he paid the price as a bullet throw from de Villiers caught Pujara (19) just short of the crease.
Ashwin too failed to show the application that saw him score 38 with skipper Kohli for company in the first innings. Flashing outside off when the order of the day was to stand there and give Rohit company, Ashwin (3) gave the easiest of catches to Quinton and once again the bowler was Lungi. Only Parthiv Patel can curse his luck as Morne Morkel took a blinder at fine leg to send back the wicket-keeper for 19.
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