Ahead by 46 runs overnight with five wickets in hand, India coasted to a massive 643/6 declared, losing just night-watchman Amit Mishra on Tuesday, as Venkatasai Laxman continued his love affair with the Eden Gardens in the form of a fourth hundred on this turf, and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipped in with India’s fourth ton of the innings.
Together, Laxman and Dhoni put on an unbeaten 259 for the seventh wicket as South Africa’s bowling was ground flat on a surprisingly even-paced track. Given the size of the aggregate it was only natural a slew of statistics would be rewritten, among which were a record seventh-wicket stand, India’s best aggregate against the Proteas and Laxman becoming only the second Indian to score in excess of a 1,000 runs at a single venue after Sunil Gavaskar, who did it twice.
The figures highlight the complete domination India exerted on the day. Simply going by the number of sessions they have won here, the match ought to be in the bag, but 10 wickets remain to be taken for that to happen. Zaheer Khan bowled just five deliveries of a possible 11 overs before light was offered to Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen to signal an end to the day’s proceedings.
Play begins 30 minutes ahead of schedule on Wednesday to make up for lost time, and India will be looking to make early inroads.
Scoreboard
South Africa 296
(1st innings)
(1st innings)
India (1st innings, overnight 342/5)
G. Gambhir run out 25, V. Sehwag c Prince b Duminy 165, M. Vijay c de Villiers b Morkel 7, S. Tendulkar c Kallis b Harris 106, V.V.S. Laxman not out 143, S. Badrinath b Steyn 1, A. Mishra c Kallis b Morkel 28,
M. Dhoni not out 132
Extras (b6, lb9, w13, nb8) 36
Total (in 153 ovs)
643/6 decl.
FoW: 1-73, 2-82, 3-331, 4-335, 5-336, 6-384
Bowling: Steyn 30-5-115-1 (nb1, w1), Morkel 26-3-115-2 (nb7), Parnell 20-1-103-0, Kallis 12-1-40-0, Harris 50-5-182-1 (w12), Duminy 15-0-73-1
G. Gambhir run out 25, V. Sehwag c Prince b Duminy 165, M. Vijay c de Villiers b Morkel 7, S. Tendulkar c Kallis b Harris 106, V.V.S. Laxman not out 143, S. Badrinath b Steyn 1, A. Mishra c Kallis b Morkel 28,
M. Dhoni not out 132
Extras (b6, lb9, w13, nb8) 36
Total (in 153 ovs)
643/6 decl.
FoW: 1-73, 2-82, 3-331, 4-335, 5-336, 6-384
Bowling: Steyn 30-5-115-1 (nb1, w1), Morkel 26-3-115-2 (nb7), Parnell 20-1-103-0, Kallis 12-1-40-0, Harris 50-5-182-1 (w12), Duminy 15-0-73-1
South africa
(2nd innings)
G. Smith 5 batting, A. Petersen 1 batting
Extras (b5, lb5, w12, nb6) 28
Total (in 0.5 overs) 6/0
Bowling: Zaheer 0.5-0-6-0
(2nd innings)
G. Smith 5 batting, A. Petersen 1 batting
Extras (b5, lb5, w12, nb6) 28
Total (in 0.5 overs) 6/0
Bowling: Zaheer 0.5-0-6-0
Stats update
* India, with 643 for 6 declared, have established a record for the highest total in India-South Africa Tests — the previous best being India’s 627 at Chennai in March 2008.
* Four Indian players (Sehwag, Tendulkar, Laxman and Dhoni) have posted hundreds in the same Test innings for the second time — the first instance being the 2007 Mirpur Test against Bangladesh when Dinesh Karthik 129, Wasim Jaffer 139 (retired hurt), Rahul Dravid 129 and Sachin Tendulkar 122 not out - had recorded centuries.
* VVS Laxman’s outstanding knock of 143 not out is his highest against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This is also Laxman’s first century under Dhoni’s captaincy, bettering the 64 against Australia at Nagpur in November 2008.
* Except Mohammad Azharuddin, Laxman has recored hundreds under all captains he played with.
* Laxman has posted his first hundred against South Africa — his 15th in Tests. His previous best knock against South Africa was 89 at Port Elizabeth in November 2001.
* Laxman became the first player to complete 1,000 runs at Eden Gardens, aggregating 1041 (at an average of 94.63) in nine Tests, including four hundreds and three fifties.
* The unbroken seventh-wicket 259-run partnership between Laxman and Dhoni is India’s highest for the seventh wicket in Tests, surpassing the 235 between Ravi Shastri and Syed Kirmani against England at Mumbai in November 1984.
* The aforesaid partnership is India’s highest at Eden Gardens, bettering the 101 between Mohammad Azharuddin and Roger Binny against Pakistan in February 1987.
* Mahendra Singh Dhoni (132 not out) has registered his highest and the first century against South Africa. He is also the first wicketkeeper to make four centuries in Tests for India.
* The Kolkata Test so far has recorded six centuries — the first instance in any Test between India and South Africa.
* Four Indian players (Sehwag, Tendulkar, Laxman and Dhoni) have posted hundreds in the same Test innings for the second time — the first instance being the 2007 Mirpur Test against Bangladesh when Dinesh Karthik 129, Wasim Jaffer 139 (retired hurt), Rahul Dravid 129 and Sachin Tendulkar 122 not out - had recorded centuries.
* VVS Laxman’s outstanding knock of 143 not out is his highest against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This is also Laxman’s first century under Dhoni’s captaincy, bettering the 64 against Australia at Nagpur in November 2008.
* Except Mohammad Azharuddin, Laxman has recored hundreds under all captains he played with.
* Laxman has posted his first hundred against South Africa — his 15th in Tests. His previous best knock against South Africa was 89 at Port Elizabeth in November 2001.
* Laxman became the first player to complete 1,000 runs at Eden Gardens, aggregating 1041 (at an average of 94.63) in nine Tests, including four hundreds and three fifties.
* The unbroken seventh-wicket 259-run partnership between Laxman and Dhoni is India’s highest for the seventh wicket in Tests, surpassing the 235 between Ravi Shastri and Syed Kirmani against England at Mumbai in November 1984.
* The aforesaid partnership is India’s highest at Eden Gardens, bettering the 101 between Mohammad Azharuddin and Roger Binny against Pakistan in February 1987.
* Mahendra Singh Dhoni (132 not out) has registered his highest and the first century against South Africa. He is also the first wicketkeeper to make four centuries in Tests for India.
* The Kolkata Test so far has recorded six centuries — the first instance in any Test between India and South Africa.
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