Not exclusively does he have extra Man of the Series awards (5) than Man of the Match awards in Tests, however he has picked up the Man of the Series award 5 occasions in India’s final 6 Test collection wins, which exclusively spotlight his significance to the national aspect.
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Du Plessis batted in binary over the first two Tests while stationed at No 3 – notching two ducks and a one – and although there was a mild improvement when he dropped down the order in Nagpur and posted 39, the ex-Lancashire man collected his third duck of the series in Delhi. They lost that series 2-0 but full-time skipper Virat Kohli and the rest of the team grew in confidence.
However, the 29-year-old was made to work harder than at any stage during the series by a defiant South Africa, the world’s number one-ranked Test side. South Africa scored 72 runs in 72 overs.
However, the real blow was dealt by Ashwin, who ended the gritty innings of AB de Villiers in the 140th over.
Already 2-0 down and guaranteed to lose the series, the Proteas were set a mammoth target of 481 prior to lunch on the fourth day, after Ajinkya Rahane had become only the fifth man to score centuries in both innings of a Test for India. “They have shown the character to bounce back in the last two series”. India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers with 5/61 in 49.1 overs.
The dismissal of De Villiers was definitely the biggest breakthrough.
“That gains nothing, especially when you are playing for the team, playing for the country trying to save a Test match”.
How tough was it to take wickets on the surface and also considering the ultra defensive approach of the batsmen?
Of the 185 that saw a team winning the match, only 44 percent (81) went into the last day.
Yadav was also the only bowler to pose problems for De Villiers.
Some deliveries squatted while two from Umesh Yadav exploded off the pitch and hit de Villiers on his hand and forearm.
Not many were confident of an Indian win when tea was called.
De Villiers is the scorer of the fastest fifty and century in ODI cricket but continued to demonstrate extraordinary restraint at the crease, making it through to tea in the company of wicketkeeper Dane Vilas (13). The elegant right-hander has not been at his best in this series.
They managed for a while but were once again found wanting when a Hashim Amla-AB de Villiers stubborn vigil came to an end.
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Yadav dismissed Kyle Abbott and Dane Piedt in quick succession before Ashwin bowled Morkel to send his team-mates and the crowd into raptures. The wicketkeeper’s initial movement was towards his left, but quickly changed his position to take the catch on the right. He just gets wickets that are really important.
