India vs. South Africa: Winners and Losers from 3rd Test

Another Test, another three-day finish. That has been the theme through this four-match series between hosts India and South Africa.

The visitors were on the back foot when they resumed play on Day 3, having been dismissed for just 79 in their first innings. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis offered some resistance, combining for a partnership of 72 runs, but things soon fell apart as India’s spinners wrapped up a 124-run victory.

It was a short Test, but there was much to talk about, and we've picked some winners and losers. Add yours in the comments section.

Loser: The Pitch

Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

As in Mohali in Game 1, the pitch in Nagpur was the biggest talking point of the Test. It was extreme, and it was turning square from Day 1. It was brutal to bat on for both teams, underscored by the fact that not a single batsman managed to score a half-century.

India pushed the home-ground advantage as far as they possibly could, and that was completely fine. The pitch, however, will still be the biggest loser because it copped so much flak and did not give the Test a chance to ebb and flow.

Loser: South Africa’s Record Away from Home

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It’s been nine years since South Africa lost a series away from home, a record that has now come to an end.

Their away record is one of the reasons why they have been considered one of the best teams in international cricket for so long.

India and the United Arab Emirates are the only two countries in which South Africa did not win a series in that time period, and it seems fitting India were the country to end their unbeaten run.

Winner: India’s Spinners

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With all 20 wickets shared between them, India’s spinners helped them dominate the match. So dominant were they that the spinners even took wickets with the new ball. On a track that was so spin friendly, that’s exactly what was expected.

India’s spinners outperformed South Africa’s spinners, though. In the first innings, it was fast bowler Morne Morkel who made the biggest impact. Simon Harmer and Imran Tahir took just five wickets between them in the first innings and six in the second, a far cry from the sheer dominance of the hosts.

Loser: The Batsmen

Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

The pitch South Africa faced was clearly designed to sacrifice runs for wickets. As a result, the batsmen of both teams suffered. Just one player—Murali Vijay—managed to score 40 in the third Test.

Batsmen of both teams lacked application in a few instances, but it was a hard graft all round. It wasn’t easy for anyone to bat on, and those who prefer their Test cricket to ebb and flow over five days were short-changed.

Winner: Virat Kohli

Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

He didn’t exactly set the world alight with the bat, but Virat Kohli has his second Test series win as captain under the belt.

Trusting his spinners from the start was integral to this victory. The 27-year-old has a long way to go in his career as a cricketer and as captain of India, but he has made all the right moves so far.