Ashwin in seventh heaven as India win series

Though the Proteas were better with the ball in the second innings as they dismissed India for 173, it meant South Africa were set an unlikely 310 to win on a wearing pitch with three days to play.

Ashwin’s offspin took 7-66 in the second innings, and 12-98 in the match, to once again lead the charge against a batting lineup that folded for a meagre 79 in the first innings. India had won the first Test at Mohali while the second Test in Bengaluru was washed out due to heavy rain. South Africa lost the Test by 124 runs and series 2-0.

South Africa were left spinning as Virat Kohli-led India won the third Test and clinched the series against South Africa in Nagpur on Friday.

The fourth and final Test will be played at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in New Delhi from December 3, with the hosts firm favourites to complete a 3-0 scoreline.

“These small contributions and team winning are more important rather than having an average of 50 and above and bowlers not being able to take wickets”.

Mishra struck twin blows in a space of six deliveries in successive overs in the post lunch session to put a spanner on the slim South African hopes after Amla (39) and Du Plessis (39) stonewalled the Indian bowling with a fifth wicket stand of 72 runs.

The only time they showed some gumption was when Amla and du Plessis defied the home attack from the first hour of the pre-lunch session till the end of the first hour after the break. Yesterday Ashwin mentioned that the pitch has slowed down a bit and that the spinners needed to beat the batsman in flight from here on.

Ashwin, who took five wickets in the first innings, had Elgar caught bat-pad at silly-point for 18 and then de Villiers was beaten by a ball that trapped him lbw for nine. “Today, when the (Amla-Du Plesis) partnership was going, he actually held the ball and told me that “I will get a wicket” and in about three overs he got Hashim out”. I think they scored at about one run per over, and they were doing well to find a run.

The tourists started the third day requiring 278 runs more on a dicey pitch that has already claimed 32 wickets over the first two days – 20 of them on Thursday itself. His stupendous success on two rank turners in Mohali and Nagpur, particularly, were instrumental in Virat Kohli’s team winning its second consecutive series and ending a stunning South African run of nine years without an overseas series loss.