South Africa begin WTC25 campaign with dominant win over India

South Africa asserted their dominance with the bat and ball at their fortress in Centurion with a resounding victory by an innings and 32 runs against India on Day 3.

The Proteas are now up and running in the World Test Championship after the win, going on top with a 100% win percentage.

Having put up a lead of 145 runs, South Africa did not have to come out to bat again with the bowlers wreaking havoc on a pitch that had plenty in it for the versatile pace attack.

Here's how the Test played out:

Day 1: KL Rahul saves India the blushes

The South African pacers justified their captain Temba Bavuma's decision to bat first, running through the top three of the Indian batting within the first hour of play. The only worry for South Africa in the opening exchange was the injury to their skipper while fielding which kept him out of action for the remaining match.

After the early wickets, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer steadied the ship with a 68-run stand. However, once South Africa broke the stand, more wickets followed and India soon found themselves at 121/6 with Kohli and Iyer both back in the hut.

It was KL Rahul, who had happy memories of Centurion with a hundred the last time India visited, who saved the visitors from slipping further. Along with Shardul Thakur, he added 43 runs for the seventh wicket and took India to stumps at 208/8 in 59 overs possible due to rain interruptions.

While all the Proteas pacers proved to be potent, Kagiso Rabada was in a league of his own as he recorded the 14th five-for of his career with figures of 5/44 on Day 1.

Day 2: Elgar scripts the perfect end to swansong

Rahul pushed India past the 200-run mark and eventually got to his second century at the venue in style a six. He was the last wicket to fall as India folded for 245 early on Day 2.

The Indian pacers had the ball on a string, even accounting for the wicket of Aiden Markram early on, but Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi saw out the barrage and added 93 runs for the second wicket.

Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in two overs but despite the quick wickets, Elgar, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, was not only solid but unleashed a barrage of boundaries en route to a stunning century. David Bedingham too joined the party with a fifty on debut.

Shardul Thakur and debutant Prasidh Krishna were guilty of erring in their lines and lengths and were punished through the South African pair. India did finish the day with some momentum with two late strikes but South Africa already had managed a slender 11-run lead with five wickets still in hand.

Day 3: South Africa steamroll India

India would have hoped to bring the momentum of the two wickets from the previous day into Day 3 but those hopes were quickly quashed by Elgar and Marco Jansen, who put on a 111-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

The wicket of Elgar, who fell just 15 runs short of a double-century, was the only respite for India going into lunch. The rest of the batters folded quickly, with Jansen left stranded at the other end on 84.

With a massive lead of 163 runs, the visitors needed a special effort to stay in the game. But the South African pacers proved too hot to handle as India lost their openers in the first six overs.

Shubman Gill, one of the two batters in the innings to get to double-digit scores, looked good during his stay at the crease but was cleaned up by Jansen before tea. Wickets continued to tumble after the break as Virat Kohli battled alone to reach his fifty.

India were bowled out for 131, of which Kohli scored 76 runs and was the last wicket to fall.

The action heads to Cape Town for the final Test of the series, starting in the new year on 3 January.