KL Rahul named player of the match in the first Test against South Africa.© AFP
India defeated South Africa in the first Test by 113 runs at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-game streak. South Africa were thrown out for 191 runs in their second innings while chasing a 305-run goal. India opener KL Rahul was the player of the match for his amazing hundred in the opening innings. Rahul revealed that he had worked on his technique and made a few changes to his game when he was out of the playing XI in the past. He also praised the Indian pace attack for its remarkable contribution to the team’s first win in Centurion.
“It was just guts and determination, I really wanted to give my team a good start. The opening score (with Mayank Agarwal on day 1) was crucial. It was more about my mentality, I worked on my technique a bit worked hard on my game when I wasn’t on the team for a few years. It’s all coming together now. I think the discipline is the biggest contributor,” Rahul said.
“(The) fast bowling unit has shown a lot of heart not just today but (in) the past few years. Happy with the way (Muhammad) Shami bowled and the way other guys got in too. Shami gets the ball to “Do a little extra as Virat (Kohli) said. Very, very special to come to South Africa. This victory gives us a lot of confidence. Want to get better as an individual and try to win another test in a few days.” Rahul said at the post-match presentation of the first Test.
Indian bowlers were on top form in both innings. Veteran registered pacer Mohammed Shami took eight wickets (5/44 and 3/63) while Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets (2/16 and 3/50) in the game.
Shami and Bumrah also hit personal milestones in the first Test.
promoted
Shami became the fifth Indian pacer to complete 200 wickets in Test cricket, while Jasprit Bumrah completed his 100 Test wickets away from India.
The second Test will be played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg from January 3.
Topics mentioned in this article
