3rd Test: India beat South Africa by 63 runs at Wanderers to avoid whitewash

India salvaged lost pride by pulling off a dramatic 63-run win against South Africa in the third Test as relentless pacers scripted a sensational turnaround on a treacherous track in Johannesburg on Saturday. It is the first time that an all-pace attack has fashioned victory for India on overseas soil. Overall, the four full- time seamers shared all 20 wickets in the match, which ended on the fourth day.

Mohammed Shami led India's fightback with a career-best five-wicket haul as India snapped nine wickets for 53 runs to shot out South Africa for 177 and avoided a humiliating whitewash in the three-match series. Shami ended with figures of 5/28, while Jasprit Bumrah (2/57), Ishant Sharma (2/31) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/39) shared the other five wickets.

With this win, India also kept their unbeaten record intact at the Wanderers. It was their second victory in five Tests with the other three being draws. India skipper Virat Kohli was under pressure to deliver after losing the first two Tests following a stellar home run last year. South Africa won the series 2-1 but India ended it on a high.

Post lunch, Elgar and Amla continued building their stand even as India looked to make quick in-roads to gain footing back in the match. The visitors were denied as the duo batted calmly and took South Africa past the 100-mark. Ishant bowled a tight spell after lunch, but India struggled to string together a bowling partnership that could put Elgar-Amla under pressure. Soon after, they raised a 100-run stand, the first in this Test. In doing so, Elgar reached his 10th Test half-century off 153 balls.

Opener Dean Elgar, who took a nasty blow on his helmet and forced early stumps yesterday, remained unbeaten on 86 even as four of his colleagues could not even open their account. At the other end, Amla crossed 50 off 134 balls, his 38th in Test cricket. It was also the ninth time that he scored twin half-centuries in the same Test.