South Africa all out for 55 on day one - their eighth-lowest Test total - before India are skittled for 153, the first team in Test history to lose six wickets without scoring a run; Aiden Markram (106 off 103 balls) cracks century but India chase down 79-run target for record win
Thursday 4 January 2024 13:18, UK
India secured the fastest Test victory in history, with their seven-wicket triumph over South Africa in Cape Town achieved in a day and a half.
There will be plenty of scrutiny of the Newlands pitch, with the match completed in 642 balls (107 overs), beating Australia's prior record of a 656-ball victory over South Africa in 1932.
India captain Rohit Sharma finished 16 not out as the victory target of 79 was knocked off in 12 overs shortly after lunch on the second afternoon.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (28), Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) were the only wickets to fall as India tied the two-match series at 1-1.
Earlier, Aiden Markram produced a scintillating, counter-attacking century for South Africa, but no other player in the batting line-up passed 12 as they were bowled out for 176 in their second innings on the stroke of lunch.
After 23 wickets fell on an extraordinary first day at Newlands, South Africa resumed on 62-3 and were immediately in more trouble when David Bedingham was caught behind for 11 off the hugely impressive Jasprit Bumrah (6-61).
Kyle Verreynne scored nine before pulling Bumrah to mid-on four overs later, while the Indian quick also accounted for Marco Jansen (11), with a super sharp return catch, and Keshav Maharaj (3) to claim his first ever five-wicket haul in South Africa.
At that stage, it looked like the game might end as early as the morning session with South Africa seven down and having only just nudged themselves ahead of India's first-innings total.
But up stepped Markram (106 off 103 balls), who belted 17 fours and two sixes over the course of his sparkling century. The opener added 51 off 38 balls with tailender Kagiso Rabada (2) for the eighth wicket, and reached his hundred off just 99 balls.
Markram's fun was eventually ended by Mohammed Siraj (1-31), while Prasidh Krishna (1-27) claimed his maiden Test wicket by picking up Rabada in the next over and Bumrah wrapped up the innings with his sixth wicket 14 runs later.
On day one, Siraj took a stunning 6-15 as India skittled South Africa for 55 in their first innings - their eighth-lowest Test total ever - before the Proteas fought back to dismiss the tourists for 153.
Verreynne's 15 was South Africa's highest score as the hosts collapsed losing five wickets for only 21 runs and were bowled out before lunch in 23.2 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.
In reply, South Africa's Lungi Ngidi (3-30) and Nandre Burger (3-42) helped bundle India out for 153, with the visitors becoming the first team in history to lose six wickets without scoring a run in a Test innings.
