South Africa vs India: Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant could be seen cutting a cake after India’s victory in Centurion to celebrate their milestones as a bowler and wicketkeeper respectively.
Shami and Pant celebrated their respective milestones with a cake. (Courtesy: bcci.tv screenshot)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Shami became the 3rd fastest Indian pacer to reach 200 Test wickets
- Pant broke Dhoni and Saha’s record for fastest to 100 Test dismissals as wicketkeeper
- India recorded their first ever Test win at SuperSport Park
A number of personal and team milestones came with India’s win in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion, among which the most prominent ones were celebrated with a cake for Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant. The duo could be seen cutting a cake in a video uploaded on the website of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after India’s 133-run win on Thursday, their first ever in a Test match in Centurion.
Shami celebrated becoming the third fastest fast bowler to cross 200 Test wickets. Shami achieved the feat in 55 Test matches, behind former fast bowler Javagal Srinath who did so in 54 matches and all-round great Kapil Dev, who reached the mark in just 50 Tests.
Shami brought up that milestone with his sixth Test five-wicket haul, which he took in the first South African innings. He took three more wickets in the second, thus taking his tally for the match to eight wickets.
Shami is the 9th fastest Indian overall to get to the 200-wicket club. R Ashwin holds the Indian record for the fastest to 200 Test wickets as he got there in his 37th Test while Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah holds the overall record, getting to the milestone in his 33rd Test.
Pant, meanwhile, broke former captain MS Dhoni and Wriddhiman Saha’s record for the fastest wicketkeeper to reach 100 dismissals in Test cricket. Dhoni and Saha reached the mark in 36 Tests while Pant has achieved the milestone in just 26 matches. Dhoni leads the Indian tally with 294 dismissals ahead of Syed Kirmani (198), Kiran More (130), Nayan Mongia (107) and Wriddhiman Saha (104).
India captain Virat Kohli says in the video that the team cannot wait for the second Test to start in Johannesburg, which starts on January 3. “The strength of this team was on full display in this match. With the bat and the ball and in the field, we were just looking for opportunities to win the game and that is how we play our cricket now. It’s a beautiful position to be in, being 1-0 up away from home. It’s a golden opportunity to put the opposition under pressure again in the second Test and something that I am absolutely certain every player is looking forward to. We can’t wait for Joburg,” says Kohli.
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