SK Flashback: Revisiting India's unsuccessful attempts to conquer South Africa

#4 2001: South Africa won 1-0

The 2001 series was India's most controversial tour to South Africa thus far

India toured South Africa in November 2001 to play a 3-match Test series. Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag scored quick-fire hundreds to help their team reach 379 runs. However, the bowlers let India down as South Africa amassed 563 runs in the first innings.

India couldn't recover from South Africa's first innings assault as they got bowled out for 237 runs. The hosts chased the paltry target with much ease. Shaun Pollock razed India with his accurate fast bowling and grabbed a ten-wicket haul. Rightly so, he was adjudged man of the match.

After letting South Africa take 161 runs lead in the second test, India batted resolutely in the fourth innings and played out 96 overs to draw the game. However, the news of greater importance was that Tendulkar was given a match suspension for allegedly tampering the ball during the second Test. Also, the match-referee handed one-match ban for many Indian players for excessive appealing.

The Indian board and the team management threatened to withdraw their team from South Africa. They demanded to sack Mike Denness for his false accusations against the Indian team. In the end, both the cricket boards sacked Denness. Since the ICC did not concur with boards' decisions, the third Test was declared unofficial. South Africa beat India by an innings and 73 runs in that match.