India won the match, SA won our hearts.
Chasing a mammoth total of 481 on bowling paradise surface of Kotla playing against one of the best spin attacks in the world was impossible when you were bowled out on 121 in first innings.South Africans shown their big determination by surviving almost 5 sessions on difficult surface. Even though South Africa lost the series 3-0,one can't forget the fight they showed in the final innings of the final match. They played an astonishing numbers of overs - 143.1. The trio of Amla, de Villiars and Du plesis played their hearts out, battling against all odds as they curbed their natural instincts of being aggressive. They did manage to shut the Indians out for quite a while, but in the end time it was test match which turned out as little much for the viewers. One can't help but ponder what would have happened if SA would have hung their for another 45 minutes .
Though proteas were completely outplayed in that series but we saw the glimpses of what Hashim Amla, A B devilliars and Faf du PLesis could do. Where Amla played an match saving innings of 25 from 244 balls there ABD played innings of the series by survivng 297 balls and making 43 runs. Du plesis opened his account of runs on 53rd balls, these number says it all.
Till tea of the final day of of kotla match SA were 136/5, they survived 4 sesions comfortably but after tea it was umesh yadav who brought india in to the match with the help of reverse swing with an incredible spell of 3 overs in which all were maiden and he took 3 wickets in them. Ashwin was declared man of the series for his record breaking bowling as he took 31 wickets in the series highest by any one in one test series and making 101 runs.
India registered their biggest win in terms of numbers by 337 runs. Rahane was awarded Man of the match for his maiden century at home in first innings and 100 Not Out in second innings.With this win india reached 2nd in ICC Test Ranking following SA who is on top.
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