India thrashed South Africa at Nagpur Test by 124 runs

South Africa struggled to counter Indian spinners as they were bundled out for 185 in their second innings while chasing a daunting target of 310 on a dusty and dry pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the India bowlers, claiming 12 of the 20 wickets in Nagpur, and the off-spinner said Amla and du Plessis proved the pitch was far from unplayable.

Now With 24 wickets in all, Ashwin is just five wickets away from his best in a four-Test series, which is 29 wickets in the 4-0 whitewash of Australia in the 2013 home series.

South Africa, the world’s top-ranked test team who have not lost an away series since 2006, are still 159 runs behind their target after resuming the day on 32-2.

Opener Murali Vijay set an unwanted record, his first-innings knock of 40 becoming India’s lowest-ever high score in a Test match victory.

Tormented on spin-friendly tracks, South Africa lost this test much like it did in the first one in Mohali, where it was beaten by 108 runs, also in under three days.

India thus built up an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series with one game still to go. “That was the turning point for us”, Kohli said.

It was on the cards, but what was not predictable was that South Africa would take the match to the last session of the day. Run-making was not made easy by the Indian spinners but there was the odd boundary to be scored, even if it was driving against the turn. “Sealing the series was very important, Delhi will be an opportunity for us to be more consistent”. “We could have got India out for 140 and that probably would have changed the complexion of the game”, he said.

After a steady partnership between du Plesis and Amla, Amit Mishra provided the breakthrough and took the two most crucial wickets.

“I don’t mind compromising on (batsmen’s) averages as long as we are winning Test matches”.

Amla and du Plessis, who came together in the morning session after the fall of the fourth wicket at 58, defended for 46.2 overs.

Ashwin also spoke about the conversations he has with his fellow bowlers – “Jadeja was rushing through, ball was hitting the bottom part of the bat” – and he was seen having a chat with Ishant Sharma and Mishra numerous times during the course of the day’s play.

Although the batsmen put in a more concerted effort in the second innings following on from the paltry first innings contribution, Amla admits the difference between the two teams has been the success of the Indian spinners, who were nearly unplayable in favourable conditions.