India beat South Africa by a comprehensive margin of 203 runs to win the first Test and go 1-0 up in the three-match Test series at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vizag on Sunday. By the virtue of this win, the Virat Kohli-led side continues to be at the summit of the ICC World Test Championship points table as they have added 40 valuable points to their tally. 

India who have been the top-ranked Test side since late 2016 now lead the points table with 160 points with a cent percent win record in all the three games that they have played so far. 

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South Africa outplayed 

Barring their fightback while batting during the first innings, the Proteas were never really in the contest as they were completely outplayed by Team India. After the hosts had declared their innings at 502/7, the Proteas seemed down and out at 63/4 before a crucial partnership between Dean Elgar (160) and Quinton De Kock (111) helped them get to 431. However, when India came out to set a target, they outbatted South Africa out of the contest riding on Rohit Sharma's 127 which was his second straight century on two innings of a Test match. 

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India puncture Proteas' spirit

The hosts declared their innings at 323/4. They could manage to get to this score riding on a 169-run stand between Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara played a good supporting knock by scoring a vital 81. He looked set for a big score but was trapped in front of the wicket by Vernon Philander. 

Chasing a target of 395, South Africa were 11/1 at stumps and when they resumed their innings on Day 5, their chase never really took off as the Indian bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals reducing them to 70/8. Just when it appeared that Virat Kohli & Co. would wrap things up very quickly, two of the lower-order batsmen Senuran Muthusamy and Dane Piedt delayed the inevitable with a 91-run stand for the ninth wicket. Dane Piedt was castled by Mohammed Shami for a well-made 56 while Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 49 as the visitors were bundled out for 191. Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami starred for India with the ball. Jadeja picked up 4/87 at an economy of 3.48 which included six maidens while Shami picked up a fifer i.e. 5/35 at an economy rate of 3.23 including two maidens. Rohit Sharma was adjudged Man of the Match for his sparkling tons in both innings. 

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