Remembering India's first Test win in each of the overseas test-playing nations

#9. South Africa, 2006

Sreesanth helped India win their first Test in South Africa

Following a disastrous drubbing at the ODI series, India would play three Tests against South Africa with the first one of them being held in Johannesburg. India won the toss and skipper Rahul Dravid decided to bat first.

India scored 249 in their first innings with Sourav Ganguly scoring 51 in his comeback to the national team. Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini were the pick of the South African bowlers, taking 4 and 3 wickets respectively.

In reply, the Proteas were bundled out for only 84 thanks to Sreesanth’s five-wicket haul while Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble took two wickets each.

In their second innings, India scored only 236 with VVS Laxman scoring 73 while Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag added 37 and 33 respectively. Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, and Andre Nel took three wickets each for South Africa. The second innings also witnessed a hilarious moment when Sreesanth replied Andre Nel’s sledging by hitting a six and dancing down the wicket while whirling his bat.

South Africa needed 402 to win the match but the Indian bowlers produced another fine performance with Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, and Sreesanth picking up three wickets apiece. Ashwell Prince and Shaun Pollock tried to keep South Africa in the match with their scores of 97 and 40 but it was India’s day and the hosts were dismissed for 278, thus handing the visitors their first win in South Africa.