South African opener Aiden Markram turned out to be a savior for his team during their second innings of the Cape Town Test and became the sixth fastest South African batter to score a Test ton. Markram played an innings of 106 runs off 103 balls and completed his century in 99 balls. However, Markram was also given a chance by wicketkeeper KL Rahul as he dropped his catch.
After South Africa lost their seventh wicket for 111 runs in their second innings, Aiden Markram shifted gears and started to hit the Indian pacers to all parts of the ground. Markram hit Prasidh Krishna for 20 runs in his first over as he hit him two fours and two sixes in his first over.
The match could have gone either way if Aiden Markram had continued to bat in the second innings. However, the Indian team finally were able to dismiss Markram for 106 runs and it was Rohit Sharma who took his catch at long-on. Rohit hit the ball on the ground in anger and it was Mohammed Siraj who took his first wicket of the second innings.
Watch – Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill congratulate KL Rahul post Aiden Markram’s dismissal
After Aiden Markram was dismissed, Indian team players Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill congratulated KL Rahul. All three players shared a light moment and they laughed after Markram got out. The video of the incident is going viral on social media. Here is the video:
Kohli and Gill congratulating KL after Markram getting out??#INDvSA #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/I2O9P4HT4v
— BlueGreen Planet (@BluesWaltair) January 4, 2024
Aiden Markram was not able to cross the single digits in the first two innings of the two Tests against India. However, the way Markram played in the second innings of the Cape Town Test was commendable and it was certainly one of the best innings of his Test career.
Getting back to the match, the Indian cricket team won the match by seven wickets and it was Indian pacers who wrote the script of their maiden victory at the Sahara Park Newlands.
It was Mohammed Siraj in the first innings who took a six-wicket haul in the first innings whereas Jasprit Bumrah was the culprit behind South Africa’s destruction in the second innings. Siraj at one end, completed the match with figures of 6/15 in the first innings whereas it was Jasprit Bumrah who took 6/61 in the first innings.
However, the Indian team also faced a terrible batting collapse during its first innings and lost their last six wickets for 0 runs. None of the Indian batsmen apart from Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli were able to cross the single digits.
While India won their first Test match in Cape Town, the Indian team also leveled the series as they faced a loss in the first Test match. India were defeated in the first Test match by an innings and 32 runs they slumped to the sixth position in the WTC 2023-25 points table. However, India have gained their top spot back and now will want to qualify for yet another WTC final.