After two years, AB de Villiers returned in whites towards the end of the year 2017. He captained the South African team in the first-ever 4-day day-night Test, scored a massive half-century and led the team to victory in just 2 days. All these achievements are indeed historic but these can make it tough for the Indian Cricket Team. All the lethal South African weapons are back in the Protea dressing room including AB, Morne Morkel and Dyle Steyn and are ready to fire right at the beginning of 2018.
All we can say is that the upcoming 3-match Test series will be a litmus test for Virat Kohli & Co from the perspective of the ICC World Cup 2019 in England. Unlike the Indian conditions, the batsmen will be tested against the bouncy tracks and the lush green outfield right from the first Test on January 5 in Durban. But before that, the Indian squad should keep in mind what their opponents recently did to Zimbabwe.
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Here is a list of records the Proteas set after beating Zimbabwe in the first-ever 4-day day-night Test by an innings and 120 runs:
1. South Africa became the first team to win a Test match after declaring their inning on day 1 before the stumps. It happened for the fifth time in the history of Test cricket that a captain declared his innings before stumps on day one.
2. It was the 4th instance when South Africa bowled out their opponents under 70 runs in the last 10 years. They bundled up Zimbabwe within 68 runs on the second day and forced them to follow on.
3. Keshav Maharaj’s bowling figures of 5/59 in the 2nd innings are the best acquired by any Protea spinner in the last 60 years on the South African soil. In 2009, Paul Harris registered 6/120 against Australia which was the previous best.
It’s all over in PE! @keshavmaharaj16 takes his 3rd Test five-wicket haul as ZIM are bowled out for 121. Congratulations SA on winning by an innings and 120 runs. #ProteaFire #SAvZIM #DayNightTest pic.twitter.com/tkaq3IQP8f
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 27, 2017
4. Morne Morkel picked up 37th 5-wicket haul Test cricket. Also, he took a 5-fer after a long span of 5 years. The previous one he took against Australia in 2012 November in Adelaide.
The follow-on has been enforced! What’s your favourite moment of the day so far? One of ours is definitely @mornemorkel65‘s 7th Test five-for. #ProteaFire #SAvZIM #DayNightTest pic.twitter.com/CPctxkPULk
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 27, 2017
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5. AB de Villiers became the only 3rd Proteas to take 200 catches in Test cricket. Mark Boucher (532) and Jacques Kallis (200). De Villiers is also the 17th player overall to do so.
AB reflects on the game from a SA point of view. #ProteaFire #SAvZIM #DayNightTest pic.twitter.com/f0gy4EXNal
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 27, 2017
6. The South Africa vs Zimbabwe one-off 4-day Test match is the 5th in the last 70 years to be completed in two days.
7. A total of 907 balls were bowled in the boxing day Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is the 9th fewest in a completed Test and the 2nd fewest in the last 71 years. The 2002 Sharjah Test between Australia and Pakistan lasted just 893 balls.
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Now the above-mentioned facts are enough to prove how aggressive the South Africans could be on their home soil. India played the last Test series against the Proteas back in 2015 in the Freedom series. India won the rubber by 3-0.
After 2 years, it’s team India’s turn to script history on the Proteas soil and maintain their winning streak of 9 consecutive bilateral Test series victories.
