Quick guide:
South Africa vs India
1st Test Venue: SuperSport Park, Centurion.
India and South Africa locked horns with each other on the last ever of the year for both the teams. Indians were keen to begin their first ever test match under coach-captain Rahul Dravid-Virat Kohli combo on a victorious note whereas the Proteas under coach Boucher were all ready for the challenge in their backyard to make a strong point on their test match capabilities.
Teams
India XI
KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli©, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa XI:
Dean Elgar©, Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock(w), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
India won the toss and opted to bat first.
India – 1st innings
In the absence of Rohit Sharma, the Karnataka opening duo KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal began positively to set a strong base. The pair faced the South African pacers with confidence for a century opening stand before Mayank was dismissed by Ngidi for a well made 60(123 balls, 9 fours).
The incomer Pujara disappointed with a first ball duck falling to Ngidi. With back to back dismissals, India relied of Skipper Kohli and Rahul to take India forward that the duo obliged to.
After a well begun display, Kohli fell off a loose shot to Ngidi for 35 (94 balls, 4 fours). Rahane who was on poor run off late then showed character with Rahul as the pair stitched 79 runs for the 4th wicket. Rahul batted solidly and completed his century becoming the only second Indian opener after Wasim Jaffer to score century in South Africa.
Rahane fell to Ngidi 2 runs short of a deserving 50. Rishabh Pant (8 runs 13 balls, 1 four) too didn’t last long. The tail that followed ( Ashwin (4), Thakur (4), Shami (8) Bumrah (14) ) bundled out with no big resistance. India completed their batting with 327/10. Lungi Ngidi was unstoppable as he picked 6 scalps for 71 runs.
South Africa 1st innings
India drew the first blood of South Africa early when Bumrah dismissed skipper Elgar in the first over for 1. Keegan Petersen and Eiden Markram fought but were bowled by Shami for 15 and 13 respectively. Van der Dussen 3(18) didn’t last long. Bavuma and de Kock built a partnership of 72 runs that came to an end when Thakur bowled de Kock for 34 (63 balls, 3 fours, 1 six).
Mulder 12 (33 balls, 2 fours) and Jansen 19 (42 balls, 3 fours) showed some fight. Amidst the fall of wickets, Bavuma reached his Half-ton but was soon dismissed by Shami for 52(103 balls, 10 fours). Rabada 25(45) and Maharaj 12 (19) contributed decently to take the team to a decent 197 where they were wrapped up.
Mohd. Shami of India dismissed half the South Africa side for 44 runs.
India 2nd Innings
With a healthy lead of 130 runs, India had a shaky start when Mayank was dismissed early 4(14) by Jansen. The Night watchman Shardul Thakur who survived 26 balls perished to 10 runs to Rabada. Opener Rahul too fell soon to Ngidi for 23 (74 balls, 4 fours).
Indian middle order (Pujara (16), Kohli (18), Rahane (20) ) that was on a hurry to put South Africa bat again lost wickets on the pursuit of quick runs. The tail enders didn’t last long as Indians were bundled out for 174 but had set a decent target of 305. Rabada and Jansen picked 4 wickets each.
South Africa 2nd Innings
With a tricky 305 as target, South Africa had a poor start when Markram was done by Shami for 1 (7). Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen started rebuilding the innings but Siraj sent back Petersen for 17(36balls, 3 fours).
Van der Dussen who was defending strongly to withstand till the stumps failed to stay overnight when he was bowled by Shami for 11 (65 balls, 1 four). Maharaj, the night watchman who came in next failed the purpose he was sent in, as he was bowled by Bumrah after which stumps were called.
Elgar who showed a lot of character and intent towards winning the game was dismissed after a gritty 77 (156 balls, 12 fours) by Bumrah. De Kock batted confidently but soon fell to Siraj for 21 (28 balls, 2 fours).
Indian bowlers ripped through the South Africa tail where Mulder 1(3), Jansen 13(14), Rabada 0(4), Ngidi 0(1) failed to support Bavuma 35* (80 balls, 4 fours) at the other end.
India won emphatically over South Africa wrapping them up for 191 runs. This win by 113 runs, provided Indians a head start and take the series 1-0. The only centurion at the Centurion in this game, KL Rahul, was awarded the Man of the Match.
2021, started with India breaching the fortress Gabba and ended with breaching the fortress Centurion!
Key Take away
When life throws you criticism, the best way to succeed is to focus by shutting the noise around!
Despite the ruckus on his captaincy in the media off late, Kohli made sure he took India to victory unmindful of the noise around him.
In our daily life too, irrespective of the field we work in or the game we play, after a point, we are vulnerable to the noise around us about our work. It absorbs us and makes it difficult for us to focus on our work and give our best. We sometimes end up questioning all our decision even though we know what we are doing is the best we can do for ourselves and contribute more efficiently in our workplace.
Shutting this noise is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes you have to talk to it and not let it have an effect on you and sometimes you have to ignore it and shift the focus to your basics, your skills and your performance.
What Virat Kohli did on field by being present and playing his best and not let his game get affected by the white noise is a great example of how we, whether we are leading a team or not, should do to better ourselves and our performance at work.
~Dhinesh Babu (Guest Author)
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