India crumbled quicker than the worn down Baraspara Cricket Stadium deck on Day 5 against South Africa as Simon Harmer's six scalps helped wrapped up proceedings before Lunch to take the series 2-0. It is only the third time India have been whitewashed at home, and twice in the last 12 months.
Brief score: SA 489 & 260/5d defeat IND 201 & 140 [Jadeja 54, Sundar 16; Harmer 6/37] by 408 runs
India walked out on the final day of the seond Test with the sole intention of surviving as eight wickets stood between them and the Proteas achieving a historic clean sweep. The day began ominously when incumbent batsmen Sai Sudharsan nicked off to Marco Jansen within the first 10 minutes, only to be saved by the seamer overstepping. However, his partner Kuldeep Yadav had no such luck when a Simon Harmer arm ball kept low and smashed into the stumps, ending his 38-ball stay in the 24th over. The spinner made it a double whammy with Dhruv Jurel's scalp just three balls later, the batter failing to cover the line of the ball and edging to the cordon to leave India four down with just an hour played. Nevertheless, Sudharsan stood resolute as he abandoned all run-scoring for the defensive option, in stark contrast to the newly walked in skipper Rishabh Pant who struck Keshav Maharaj for a four and a maximum in his first over of the day. Yet, it was the front foot defense that brought about his demise a couple of overs later, the veteran failing to get on the backfoot for a length delivery that caught the splice of his bat and popped up for the simplest of catches. Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja therafter capped close the collapse with another blockathon, the duo playing out the 13 overs that remained in the session to head to Tea at 90/5.
The break in rhythm was all that the Proteas required as just five balls after resumption, Sudharsan failed to get to the line of the ball and duly edged to slip off Senuran Muthusamy after a 139-ball marathon. Jadeja, meanwhile, continued to motor, the all-rounder frequently finding boundaries to keep the pressure in check. Washington Sundar appeared more than capable at the other end to play the support role as the duo played out another 13 overs together, getting the hosts to within an hour and a half of a miraculous save. Yet, just as hope was beginning to spring, Harmer spun one across Sundar to take the outside edge and claim a historic fifer, while catcher Aiden Markram became the first man to hold onto nine in a Test match ever. Nitish Kumar Reddy lasted just two balls before an inexplicable reverse sweep went horridly wrong to hand Kyle Verreyne a sitter, while Jadeja followed suit an over later for 54 while trying to charge down Maharaj and being beaten comprehensively by the turn and bounce. The left-arm spinner sealed history later in the same over courtesy of an ungodly one handed tack from a running back Jansen as India bowled out for 140 to hand the Proteas their second-biggest Test win ever.
What a catch!
— Robinson (@Robinson966715)
Marco jansen!
This entire series in one image.
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken)
Second Whitewash!
SECOND WHITEWASH AT HOME WITHIN A YEAR 👏👏
— AA (@photuuu99)
Proteas won!
We have done it!! Proteas have won the match & also won this series 2-0!
— Νεωτοη (@Newton_Offl_19)
What a catch from Marco Jansen to dismiss Mohammad Siraj🤯🤯
Well done Proteas team, you guys deserved this win💚
Brilliant catch!
What a catch from Jansen to win the 2nd Test by 408 runs and whitewash India on their own turf!
— Prathushan (@prathushan22408)
Proteas continue to prove why they are the WTC Champions. Well deserved, boys!
SA won!
South Africa have pulled off a momentous and historic triumph on Indian soil, sealing the series 2-0 and ending a 25-year wait for a Test series win in India.
— Tweet Tonic 🇮🇳 (@Gujarat1999)
Whitewash!
SA whitewashed India 🇮🇳 at home after 25 years
— A Runner With A Struggling Cheque Account (@OfficialVeli)
Superb catch!
We've done it. What a catch Marco. What a Test series win in India.
— Widdy (@immwk)
2-0✌️🇿🇦❤️😭.
Temba STILL unbeaten as captain.
What a team!
India whitewashed by South Africa😲
— Mr. POTATO ⚪ (@iamDgh0st)
Congrats!
Congratulations ! great captaincy, leading from the front!
— Amogh Mhatre 🇮🇳 (@aamoghh)
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