OTD 2019: India register biggest ever Test win against South Africa under Virat Kohli's captaincy

Team India scripted history and registered their biggest-ever Test win On This Day (October 13) in 2019, against South Africa, in Pune. Both sides locked horns in the second Test of the series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, from October 10 to October 13. 

The clash began with team India coming in to bat first after winning the toss. The side opened their innings with Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma scoring 108 and 14 runs, respectively. Furthermore, Cheteshwar Pujara added 58 runs in 112 deliveries. After the top order provided the hosts with a good start, it was the knock of ace batter Virat Kohli that put the nail in the coffin for South Africa right in the first innings of the game.

Notably, Kohli amassed 254* runs in 236 deliveries, playing a knock for the ages. To follow it up, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja scored 59 and 91 runs, respectively, as India posted a total of 601 runs and declared in the first innings. As the Proteas came out to bat, the side opened their innings with Dean Elgar scoring just six runs, with Aiden Markram departing for a duck.

Thereafter, Theunis de Bruyn added 30 runs on the board. While Faf du Plessis scored a crucial fifty (64 runs). Besides, Keshav Maharaj played a vital knock of 72 runs, as South Africa were bundled out for 275 runs in the first innings. Team India gave the visitors the option to follow on, and South Africa once again failed to go big with the bat.

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After Aiden Markram departed for a duck, Dean Elgar added 48 runs on the board, with Temba Bavuma and Vernon Philander scoring 38 and 37 runs, respectively. Team India’s bowling attack bundled out the Proteas for just 189 runs in the second innings. Eventually, Team India went on to win the second Test of the series by an innings and 137 runs, and the victory remains the side’s biggest Test victory over South Africa.

Jadeja-Yadav decimated South Africa's batting, Kohli was Player of the Match

Among notable performers with the ball for the Indian side, Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav were the standout bowlers. Both the experienced campaigner tormented the Proteas with their razor-sharp bowling. Consequently, the duo ended up sharing six wickets between them. For the memorable double century, Virat Kohli, who was also playing his 50th game as a Captain, was adjudged the Player of the Match.