In the annals of Test cricket, few matches have encapsulated drama, tension, and sheer willpower like the first Test between South Africa and India at the Wanderers in December 2013. What unfolded over five days was a narrative of near-impossible chases, individual brilliance, and the birth of a legendary batting trio for India.
The Stage is Set: A Daunting Target on a Treacherous Pitch
After winning the toss and batting first, India posted 280 runs, largely thanks to a masterful 119 from Virat Kohli. Ajinkya Rahane contributed 47. South Africa, in reply, managed 244, with skipper Graeme Smith top-scoring with 68. Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma shared eight wickets. With a slender lead of 36, India batted again. Shikhar Dhawan fell early, but Cheteshwar Pujara's magnificent 153 and Kohli's agonizing 96 powered India to 421 all out. This set South Africa a monumental target of 458 runs to win on a pitch that was cracking and offering unpredictable bounce.
The Great Chase: From Survival to the Brink of History
Beginning the final day at 138/2, needing 320 more, South Africa's realistic goal was a draw. However, a foundation laid by Alviro Petersen (76) and Smith (44) turned into something extraordinary through the partnership of Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers. For almost four hours, they batted with immense discipline on a difficult surface, facing 375 balls and adding 205 crucial runs. They absorbed everything the Indian bowlers threw at them, taking the score from 197/4 to the brink of an unbelievable victory.
By the final session, the equation had turned in South Africa's favour: 66 runs needed from 15 overs with both set batsmen on centuries. The impossible seemed probable. Then, the momentum swung. Ishant Sharma broke through, getting de Villiers to chop on. Soon after, JP Duminy fell, and a brilliant direct hit from Ajinkya Rahane ran out a exhausted du Plessis.
The Heart-Stopping Finale and a Lasting Legacy
With 20 runs needed and the score at 438, the dream was alive but the tail was exposed. Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn opted for safety, blocking their way to a draw. In a final twist, Steyn smashed the last ball of the match from Mohammed Shami for a huge six, but it was too little, too late. South Africa finished at 450/7, just eight runs short of a world-record chase, securing one of Test cricket's greatest draws.
Reflecting on the escape, a drained Faf du Plessis said, "If you had asked us this morning whether we would have taken saving the game, we definitely would have taken it... I placed a very high price on my wicket." Virat Kohli was named Player of the Match for his twin scores of 119 and 96.
While the series was lost 1-0 by India, this Test marked a pivotal chapter. It was the first major overseas assignment for the young batting group of Kohli, Pujara, and Rahane. They emerged as India's top three run-scorers in the series, with Pujara making 280 runs, Kohli 272, and Rahane 209. This core would go on to define India's batting resilience for the next decade. Twelve years later, the final day at the Wanderers, a blend of intense drama and anti-climax, remains utterly unforgettable.
