New Delhi: Indian batsmen fell like pins to hand South Africa a 135- run win on Day 5 of the second Test match at Centurion and with that they have lost the three-match series 0-2 with one Test to go at Johannesburg.
India were bowled out for 151, losing their last seven wickets for 116 runs. This defeat also ended India’s 9-series long unbeaten streak.
If there was any hope of a miracle, it all went up in smoke very early on the fifth morning with a suicidal run-out of Cheteshwar Pujara, who became the only Indian batsman to get run out on both innings of a Test match.
Parthiv dabbed a rising Philander delivery past Gully. Cheteshwar Pujara turned what seemed a comfortable three, into a complete mess. His case was not helped by the fact that AB de Villiers was chasing the ball.
Patel (19) followed Pujara quickly after he pulled Rabada and Morne Morkel took a screamer at the deep square leg boundary.
Hardik Pandya (6) managed 18-run stand with Rohit Sharma before playing a horrible shot on Ngidi's delivery in an attempt to lift the ball over the slip cordon, only to find de Kock pulling it off with a stunning one-handed effort.
The debutant struck immediately to pack back Ravichandran Ashwin (3), caught behind before Shami arrived to forge a 54-run eighth wicket stand with Rohit.
Rohit Sharma kept Indian hopes alive with a gutsy 47-run knock but the wickets kept tumbling on the other end and eventually gifted his wicket to Rabada.
Ishant Sharma was the last man standing for the visitors.
Playing at his home ground, Debutant Lungi Ngidi returned with impressive figures of 6/39 for the host while Rabada struck thrice in the second innings to give them an unassailable 2-0 lead.
These two teams will travel to Johannesburg for the third and the final Test match which is scheduled on January 24 and the host would be aiming to inflict a whitewash.