5 memorable bowling performances by Team India players in South Africa 

Team India will soon be in South Africa for a tour comprising three Tests and as many ODIs. The series will kick-off on Boxing Day with the first Test to be played at SuperSport Park in Centurion. The remaining two Tests will be played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg and Newlands in Cape Town.

According to reports, the Indian team will undergo a three-day quarantine in a five-star hotel near the Mumbai International Airport before the big tour. The squad is expected to leave for Johannesburg on Wednesday, December 16 by a charter flight. While the Test team in South Africa will be led by Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has been named vice-captain.

India do not have a great Test record in South Africa. Of the 20 Test matches they have played in the Rainbow Nation, India have won only three, losing 10. The remaining seven games ended in a draw.

---

When India’s bowlers impressed in South Africa

While India may have struggled in Tests in South Africa, a number of bowlers from the team have come up with impressive performances over the years. We recap five such efforts.

---

#5 6/53 by Anil Kumble - Johannesburg (November 1992)

Former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Pic: Getty Images

Legendary former leg-spinner Anil Kumble’s record away from home was a subject of debate for a majority of his Test career. However, Kumble impressed during India’s maiden tour of South Africa in 1991-92, claiming 6 for 53 in Proteas' second innings during the Johannesburg Test.

South Africa batted first after winning the toss and Manoj Prabhakar’s four-for restricted them to 292. India managed only 227 in response despite Sachin Tendulkar’s well-made 111. The visitors were under pressure following their below-par effort in the first innings. However, Kumble brought India back in the contest, picking up six wickets in 44 overs.

Five of the bowler’s six victims, including big names like Andrew Hudson, Peter Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes, were bowled. Thanks to Kumble’s perseverance, India bowled out South Africa for 252. The Test ended in a hard-fought draw as, set a target of 318, India made 141 for 4 in 82 overs.

---

#4 5/60 & 5/93 by Venkatesh Prasad - Durban (1996)

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad. Pic: Getty Images

Venkatesh Prasad had a comparatively short Test career despite some stellar performances away from home. His finest moment as a Test bowler came in South Africa, during the Durban Test in 1996. India bowled first in the Test and Prasad returned with memorable figures of 5 for 60. He cleaned up Gary Kirsten and had Daryll Cullinan and Hansie Cronje caught behind. Prasad returned to pick up two more towards the end of the innings as India cleaned up South Africa for 235.

The Indian batters, however, undid Prasad’s hardwork as the entire team was rolled over for a paltry 100. Prasad continued to fight for India in the second innings as well. He bowled 25 overs and picked up five scalps, dismissing Kirsten, Cullinan and Cronje again. Like in the first innings, Prasad claimed a couple of South African tailenders as the hosts were all out for 259 in their second innings.

Set a target of 395, India collapsed to 66 all out in 34.1 overs as South Africa clinched victory by 328 runs. Allan Donald claimed nine wickets in the Test to nullify the impact of Prasad’s 10-wicket match haul.

#3 5/54 by Jasprit Bumrah - Johannesburg (2018)

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket with Virat Kohli. Pic: Getty Images

Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah made an instant impact in his debut Test series in South Africa, claiming his maiden five-for in the Johannesburg Test. The memorable effort went a long way in India registering a famous win, only their third in Test matches in South Africa.

India managed a mere 187 batting first, but Bumrah’s 5 for 54 in 18.5 overs kept India in the contest. The unconventional pacer claimed the big wickets of Hashim Amla, opposition skipper Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock before sending back the tail. Thanks to Bumrah’s spell, India restricted South Africa to 194.

India scored 247 in their second innings, with Ajinkya Rahane contributing 48 and Virat Kohli 41. South Africa were set a target of 241 to clinch the three-match series 3-0. However, the hosts folded up for 177 as India achieved a consolation victory.

---

#2 5/28 by Mohammed Shami - Johannesburg (2018)

Mohammed Shami is ecstatic after dismissing Aiden Markram. Pic: Getty Images

While Bumrah claimed a five-for in the first innings of the 2018 Johannesburg Test, his pace bowling partner Mohammed Shami claimed an equally brutal five-wicket haul in the second. Chasing 241, South Africa would have fancied their chances. However, Shami stunned the Proteas with figures of 5 for 28 in 12.3 overs.

Shami struck the first blow in South Africa’s chase, having Aiden Markram caught behind for 4 with a short ball that swung away. He returned to dismantle the lower order, sending back Vernon Philander, Andile Phehlukwayo, Morne Morkel and last-man Lungi Ngidi. The South African tail was pretty much clueless against Shami’s brilliance.

Apart from Shami, Ishant also claimed two scalps in South Africa’s second innings while Bumrah added two more to his first innings five-for. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named Player of the Match. He scored 30 and 33 with the bat and picked up a total of four wickets.

---

#1 5/40 & 3/59 by S Sreesanth - Johannesburg (December 2006)

Sreesanth with the Man of the Match trophy for his performance in the 2006 Johannesburg Test. Pic: Getty Images

Undoubtedly, the most memorable bowling performance by an Indian in South Africa. After all, it resulted in India’s maiden Test win in the Rainbow Nation. S Sreesanth returned with figures of 5 for 40 and 3 for 39 as India defeated South Africa by 123 runs in the 2006 Johannesburg Test.

India batted first in the Test and managed only 249, with Sourav Ganguly top-scoring with an unbeaten 51. Before South Africa knew what had hit them, they were all out for 84 as Sreesanth claimed five wickets in 10 overs in a sensational spell of swing bowling.

The Kerala pacer began by trapping Graeme Smith lbw with an inswinger. He then had Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis caught in the slips by forcing them to poke at swinging deliveries in the corridor of uncertainty. Sreesanth then cleaned up Mark Boucher and trapped Shaun Pollock lbw to complete a famous five-wicket haul.

India scored 236 in their second innings, build around VVS Laxman’s 73, to set South Africa a target of 402. Ashwell Prince fought hard for the Proteas with 97. However, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth and Kumble picked up three scalps each to bowl Team India to their first-ever Test win on South African soil.