Review of South Africa-India Tests-Jan 2018-Pt 1

After the conclusion of this series won by South Africa with a 2-1 margin, the results of Tests between these countries are summarized below:

India recorded their third Test win in South Africa, and maintained their unbeaten record at Johannesburg. They won 2 and drew 3 at this venue, going back to the first series in 1992-93. India’s first Test win in SA had come here in December 2006. They are yet to win a Test series in SA and Australia, though they have drawn series in both countries.

We now look at individual performances, starting with batting:

Most runs (500 and above):

Amla and de Villiers are 3rd and 4th on the all-time list. Other current players include Kohli, Pujara, Rahane and Vijay.

Tendulkar and Kallis both have 7 centuries. The most scores of 50+ are 12 by the same pair and Amla.

Highest innings (115 and above):

This was a low-scoring series, with only Kohli’s 153 featuring here. Amla, Pujara, du Plessis and others have done well in earlier series. Sehwag’s 319 is India’s highest score in all Tests.

Highest batting averages (Minimum 20 innings, all instances):

Kallis and Sehwag expectedly top the averages. Kohli, Pujara, du Plessis and some other current players do not appear here as they have not played 20 innings. However, we can also look at

Highest batting strike rates (minimum 1000 balls faced, all instances):

Here Sehwag has by far the highest strike rate, followed by Azharuddin, GC Smith and Kohli. Dravid’s SR is surprisingly low.

Now to bowling:

Most wickets (20 and above):

Kumble is far ahead of the second-placed Steyn, who did not do much in this series. Morkel, Ashwin and Ishant are among the current players here.

Best innings bowling (all instances of 6wi and above):

Ngidi and Philander had 6-wicket hauls in this series, Ngidi doing so on his debut.

Earlier Klusener recorded his career-best innings bowling figures during his debut.

Best match bowling (all instances of 8wm and above):

Philander’s 9-wicket haul is the best in the current series, though others such as Ashwin and Steyn have done better in earlier series.

Best bowling averages (Minimum 2000 balls, all instances):

We can see that Donald and Pollock have the best bowling averages. The best economy rates are by Pollock (2.26) and Kumble (2.34). The best strike rates are by Steyn (41.8) and Donald (43.7)

To be continued.

 

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Best debut bowling against India

The second Test at Centurion was noted for various things such as silly runouts and young Ngidi’s bowling. Here we look at the best bowling figures on debut against and for India (all figures as of 17 Jan 2018).

Best against India-innings (5wi): 

Ngidi is in 5th position here, while his compatriot Klusener leads. That was to remain Klusener’s best in Tests, as in the case of Lever. Krezja’s effort came in a defeat for his team, and he played only one Test after this. Hazlewood is another current player in this list, while B Lee, like Bedser, had a long career.

Bedser and Pollard made their debut together. BR Taylor remains the only one in all Tests to make a century and take a fiver on debut. We will come to Lever’s similar record in a moment.

Best against India-match (7wm):

The luckless Krezja tops this table. Bedser is second, and he followed with another 11-wicket haul in his second Test to start a long career for England. His partner Pollard is also here, though he had a relatively short career. Ngidi is relatively lower in this table as he took only one wicket in the first innings.

Hazlewood is the only other current player to appear here. Other famous names include B Lee and Trueman.

In an odd case of symmetry, JK Lever was the only one in all Tests to score a fifty and take a ten-for on debut. India’s S Venkataraghavan was in the Indian team on both occasions.

We also look at the corresponding figures for Indian bowlers on debut.

Best for India-innings (5wi):

Hirwani steals the show here. He had a slightly better career than RAL Massie, who also took 16 wickets on debut. Ashwin and Shami are in the current team, as is Mishra from recent times. Nissar’s effort came in India’s first-ever Test.

Best for India-match (7wm):

Hirwani again leads, with the best match figures in all Tests by a debutant. His 16-136 was just ahead of Massie’s 16-137. Shami, Ashwin and Mishra appear here as well. Doshi and Yadav had moderately successful careers.