India vs South Africa, 2019: 2nd Test, Day 4 – India's record series win, another Maharaj-Philander partnership, Ashwin equals Kumble and more stats

India took a series winning lead of 2-0 in the 3-match series with their biggest Test win against South Africa in the Pune Test. India enforced follow-on after taking a lead of 326 runs in the 1st innings on the 4th day morning. Just like in the first innings, the seamers provided the initial breakthroughs for India before the spinners dominated. The Philander-Maharaj pair put on the biggest partnership once again without which the visitors might not have even crossed 150.

All the statistical highlights from India’s innings win over South Africa in the Pune Test match:

India’s world record streak:

11* – India won each of their last 11 Test series at home; the longest Test series winning streak at home for any team. In this process, India surpassed Australia’s streak of 10 consecutive home series which they recorded during 1994-2001 and also during 2004-2008.

A rare follow-on and innings defeat:

1 – This was the first time that India has enforced the follow-on against South Africa in Test cricket. Their win in this Test match is also only the 2nd time they defeated Saffers by an innings margin. India won the 2010 Kolkata Test by innings and 57 runs. In fact, South Africa did not lose a Test match by innings margin between 2010 Kolkata Test and 2019 Pune Test.

2008 – The last instance of a team enforcing follow-on over South Africa in Test cricket was back in 2008. The South Africans were put into follow-on by England during the Lord’s Test in July 2008.

Overall, this is only the 2nd time South Africa were made to play the following-on in Asia. During the 2000 Galle Test, Sri Lanka invited the visitors to bat again after taking a 284-run lead.

Markram adds a pair:

2007 – The last instance of a South African opener before Aiden Markram to bag a pair in Test cricket was Herschelle Gibbs. He was dismissed for a duck twice during the 2007 Boxing Day Test against West Indies in Port Elizabeth.

2010 – The last instance of an opening batsman before Markram bagging a pair against India in Test cricket was New Zealand’s Tim McIntosh in the 2010 Ahmedabad Test match.

Ashwin equals Kumble:

45 – Number of wickets for Ravichandran Ashwin in home Tests against South Africa; the joint-most by an Indian at home against the Proteas. He equalled Anil Kumble’s tally of 45 wickets with the two scalps in the 2nd innings.

Philander-Maharaj irritates India again:

2 – Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander became only the 2nd pair to share century and a fifty stand in the same Test for 8th or lower wicket. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Kulasekara added 61 and 105 for the 9th wicket in the 2006 Lord’s Test against England.

387 – Number of balls the duo of Maharaj and Philander played in this game; the most number of balls any pair batted in a Test match for 8th or lower wicket for South Africa and also the highest by a pair against India. JP Duminy and Dale Steyn batted out 382 deliveries for 9th wicket in the 2008 MCG Test against Australia. (Where balls data is known)

Lower trouble for India:

503 – India bowled a total of 503 deliveries in this Test match across both innings after taking 8th wicket. These are the most number of balls they bowled to get the last three wickets in both innings of a Test. (Where balls data is known)

India bowled 512 balls against Zimbabwe in the 2001 Delhi Test but the visitors declared their first innings when they were nine down.

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