On This Day: India defeated South Africa by innings and 202 runs in third Test in Ranchi; completed 3-0 series whitewash in 2019

On October 22, 2019, the Indian cricket team registered a massive win by an innings and 202 runs over South Africa in the third and final Test of the three-match series at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. With that, the Men in Blue also completed a 3-0 series whitewash of South Africa in the early stages of the inaugural World Test Championship 2019-21 cycle on the back of the player of the match and series performance from Rohit Sharma, who scored 529 runs in four innings at an average of 132.25 with his maiden double hundred in the format in the third Test.

The Ranchi Test match began with Indian captain Virat Kohli winning the toss and deciding to bat first in bizarre circumstances when South Africa captain Faf du Plessies

asked his deputy to make the call in his place in the middle after losing consecutive tosses in the lead-up to it. The Men in Blue lost three quick wickets in the first session, including Cheteshwar Pujara for no score and the skipper himself for 12 off 22 before a big partnership of 267 runs for the fourth wicket between opener Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane turned the match completely in favour of India.

While Ajinkya Rahane reached his 11th hundred in the longest format of the game during their run stand, Rohit Sharma got his sixth Test hundred and third in the three-match series against South Africa. The Indian opener went on to reach his maiden Test double hundred before losing his wicket to Kagiso Rabada, and following that, some late order contributions, including a fifty from Ravindra Jadeja and 10-ball 31 with five sixes from Umesh Yadav was enough for India to declare their innings at 497/9 in 116.3 overs.

Indian bowlers needed just 100+ overs to bowl out South Africa twice after enforcing the follow-on

The Indian bowlers were exceptional as a unit in the first innings, bundling out South Africa for just 162 runs in 56.2 overs despite a fifty from Zubayr Hamza with three wickets for Umesh Yadav apart from two apiece for Mohammed Shami and left-arm spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and debutant Shahbaz Nadeem while Ravichandran Ashwin went wicketless. It led to the Indian captain Virat Kohli enforcing the follow-on before South Africa were reduced to 22/4 in the ninth over with Mohammed Shami claiming three of the top five batters cheaply.

Dean Elgar had to retire hurt after a blow to the helmet on a Umesh Yadav bouncer, which forced South Africa to replace him with concussion substitute Theunis de Bruyn, who top scored with 30 off 49 before Shahbaz Nadeem dismissed him at the start of play on day four. On the very next delivery, the left-arm spinner finished off the match and series for India in style by taking the wicket of Lungi Ngidi caught and bowled, bundling out Australia for just 133 runs in 48 overs while Ravichandran Ashwin had to settle with just one wicket across both the innings.