3 minute read

World number one India have been thumped inside three days at Centurion by South Africa who dispatched their opponents for 131 to seal victory by an innings and 32 runs.

Proteas opener Dean Elgar turned his overnight century into 185 – the second highest score of his career in the penultimate match before retirement – as he and Marco Jansen (84no) guided the hosts to 408.

That left India with a first-innings deficit of 163 and they promptly fell apart in just 34.1 overs as South Africa's seamers went in for the kill.

Nandre Burger completed a memorable debut with four for 33 in 10 exceptional overs and ended with seven in the match, while Jansen claimed three and Kagiso Rabada took two.

Just two Indian batters made it into double figures, Shubman Gill with 26 and Virat Kohli carrying the fight single-handedly with a defiant 76.

Jansen removed both, making up for his earlier frustration in running out of partners as he closed in on a maiden hundred.

The result means India will once again leave South Africa without a series win, a record that dates back nine visits to their first tour in 1992.

Rohit Sharma's men had not lost by an innings since August 2021, when they were thrashed by England at Headingley.