Hat-trick of Test Wins: How Harmanpreet Kaur’s India Overcame South Africa’s Resistance in Chennai

India clinched a 10-wicket victory against South Africa in the one-off Test match on Monday, but not without a fight. South Africa’s determined effort stretched into the final session of the last day. India had to bowl 154.4 overs in the second innings to dismiss South Africa for 373 runs. Chasing a modest target of 37, India achieved it in 9.4 overs.

South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, reached her century early in the first session and looked set to continue. As Day 4 began under gloomy skies, South Africa had a slim chance of drawing the game, which seemed unlikely after India posted over 500 runs on the first day. Even after being bowled out for 266, South Africa showed resilience, battling for four full sessions and pushing India to their limits. India eventually secured another commanding Test win, but it was hard-earned in challenging conditions.

India needed patience and discipline to earn each wicket on a pitch that favored the batters. “The pitch was more favorable to the batters than the bowlers. It was difficult,” said player of the match, Shen Rana, who took 10 wickets in the match. “Nowadays, we get pitches like this everywhere. It’s all about consistency, using variations, and knowing when to use your stock ball. These are the lessons from this game,” the off-spinner added.

The determination of South Africa, especially Wolvaardt, was commendable. “Losing is disappointing, but the character shown by the group over the last two days was amazing. Conceding over 500 runs on day one, not many thought it would go to the last session on day four. The grit and determination of every batter were amazing, and it will do good things for this group,” Wolvaardt said.

With the pitch not breaking up as expected, Wolvaardt adapted to the bounce and played the spinners off the backfoot. When Marizanne Kapp and Delmi Tucker fell in quick succession to Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana, it seemed like another collapse was imminent. Wolvaardt’s dismissal for 122 before lunch gave India hope of closing out the game in the afternoon session.

However, Nadine de Klerk had other plans. Throughout the second session, she used a loose hand grip to defend against the Indian spinners. Instead of looking for runs, South Africa took a page from Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, and AB de Villiers’ playbook during their 2015 tour in Delhi. De Klerk focused on defense, cutting out run-scoring shots. Though India took three wickets in that session, South Africa managed 34 runs in 29 overs.

De Klerk remained steadfast, scoring 61 runs off 185 deliveries. Whenever India’s attack seemed to gain control, she would play a big shot to relieve the pressure. This strategy frustrated India at times, with energy levels dipping. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh could be heard urging her teammates to “keep talking, keep talking.”

“This is what Test matches are about. There will be phases with partnerships. You have to keep your mind and body active. These chirpings help to wake you up. Fielding for over 200 overs is not easy. We tried to stay positive, hang in there, and get the wickets. We kept believing we would win and not give up,” Rana added.

In the final session, India picked up the remaining two wickets, with De Klerk being the last to fall, marking the end of South Africa’s resistance. Shubha Satheesh and Shafali Verma completed the job, securing India’s straight home Test win.