India vs South Africa, 2019: 3rd Test – A rare whitewash against South Africa, Rohit and Umesh’s feats, Kohli goes past Azharuddin and more stats

India completed a series whitewash in the 3-match Test series against South Africa following an innings and 202-run win in the Ranchi Test match. It took 12 deliveries for India on the 4th day morning to wrap up the series by taking the last 2 wickets. The Proteas were bundled out for just 162 in their first innings by Tea on 3rd day. They came up with an even worse performance with the bat as they lost eight wickets in the extended final session. Their 2nd essay came to an end on 133 with one run scored via leg-bye on the morning of Day 4.

All the statistical highlights from India’s yet another innings victory over South Africa:

A rare whitewash:

6 – Only the 6th time South Africa has been whitewashed in a Test series of 3 or more games. The last instance of them getting whitewashed was against Australia at home in 2006. All the previous five instances of South Africans getting whitewashed in a Test series have been against Australia and England only.

Outplaying the visitors:

2 – India declared all the four innings they batted in this series and bundled out South Africa in all the six innings. They are only the 2nd team to declare all innings and bowl the opposition out in all innings of the same 3-match Test series. Sri Lanka were the first side to achieve this feat in the 2007 home series against Bangladesh.

8 – India is only the 8th side to not get bowled out even once in a 3-match Test series. This is the first such instance for India and the first time South Africans were on the receiving end.

Best series for Indian pacers:

17.5 – The bowling average of 17.5 by the Indian pacers in this Test series is their best in any Test series of three or more games. They averaged 18.42 in the 1995/96 home Test series against New Zealand.

Indian pacers averaged 12.57 in the previous Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean Islands which is their highest in any multi-match Test series.

A new low for South African bowling:

25 – Number of wickets South Africa picked up in this Test series; the fewest by them in any Test series of three or more matches. The previous fewest wickets they ever took in a 3-match Test series was 30 during the 1912 Test series against Australia in England.

A series of sixes:

65 – Number of sixes hit by both the teams in this Test series; the joint-most in any Test series equalling the 65 maximums during the 2013/14 Ashes hosted by Australia.

India’s 47 sixes during this series are the most by any team while Rohit Sharma alone hit 19 of those which are the most by an individual in a Test series.

Rohit bats out the Proteas:

5 – Rohit Sharma is only the 5th Indian batsman to outscore the opposition in both innings of a Test. Rohit’s 212 in this Test is the lowest individual score among those five instances. Previous lowest was Virat Kohli’s 212 that outscored Sri Lanka’s 205 and 166 during the 2017 Nagpur Test.

Umesh matches Walsh:

5 – Umesh Yadav became only the 2nd pacer to take 3+ wickets in five consecutive Test innings in India. Yadav’s streak came to an end after he took only two wickets during South Africa’s second innings in Ranchi. Courtney Walsh had seven consecutive innings of 3+ wickets on Indian soil. Walsh took only one wicket in his first innings in India but had at least two scalps in the next 12 innings.

Proteas follow-on twice in two games:

1964/65 – The last instance of South Africa being enforced to follow-on twice in a Test series was back in 1964/65 home Test series against England. On the other hand, last instance of India enforcing following on twice in a home Test was in 1994 against Sri Lanka.

Kohli goes past Azharuddin:

8 – Virat Kohli has enforced the follow-on in 8 different Tests; the most by an Indian captain. He surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin’s seven instances. Enforcing follow-on during 8 occasions is the joint-most by any captain in Test cricket.

105 – India now has won 105 International matches under the captaincy of Virat Kohli; the 2nd most under any captain in all formats. Kohli surpassed Azharuddin’s 104 wins and is only behind MS Dhoni’s 178.

A tough day with the bat for South Africa:

16 – Number of wickets South Africa lost on 4th day of this Test; the joint-most wickets they lost in a day’s play in more than 100 years in Test cricket. South Africa lost exactly 16 wickets on the 3rd day of the 2002 Johannesburg Test against Australia. The Proteas lost 16 and more wickets in day’s play on three other instances; all recorded till 1912.

A forgettable series for the opening pair:

4.83 – South Africa’s partnership average for the first wicket in this series; the lowest for them in any Test series and the 4th lowest for any team in a series. (Min: 5 stands) In the six innings, the first wicket collected 29 runs for the visitors with a highest of 14.