South Africa's nine-year-long record of remaining unbeaten in away series finally ended in the third Test at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Chasing a daunting 310, South Africa were bowled out for 185 to give India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with one Test match to go. This is South Africa's first series loss in 15 played since 2006.
On a surface where the highest individual score had only been 40, South Africa were never expected to get close. Things seemed to be progressing by that script as they lost an early wicket, Ravichandran Ashwin accounting for opener Dean Elgar. And it seemed like it was only a matter of time when AB de Villiers was completely deceived by a carrom ball to be rapped in front of his pads.
Faf du Plessis joined Hashim Amla and South Africa finally showed some resolve for a while. They trudged on slowly, with the runs coming at a drip: at one point, twenty overs had gone by without a boundary. Lunch-break came and went and the two remained at the crease. But just when Amla and du Plessis looked like they had weathered the storm and were inching to their forties, India struck. Amit Mishra got one to bounce on the vicious surface to take Amla's edge. In his next over, an extremely low delivery dislodged du Plessis' bails.
JP Duminy perished to Ashwin, who mopped up the tail with dexterity, finishing with 7/51 in the innings, a total of 12 wickets in the Test and the 'Man of the Match' award.
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