South Africa’s total of 121 is now their second lowest total on Indian soil, the lowest being 105 in Ahmedabad (1996-97).
Sourav Ganguly batted at No. 3 for the first time since the Georgetown Test vs the West Indies (2001-02).
This was India’s 10th win by eight wickets in a Test match. It was also their second eight-wicket win vs South Africa, having beaten them by the same margin in Calcutta (2004-05).
It is for the first time on Indian soil that two consecutive Tests have been completed in three days.
The following are the list of matches completed in three days on Indian soil
vs Eng — Eng won by 8 wkts (Kanpur, 1951-52)
vs Pak — Ind won by an innings and 70 runs (Delhi, 1952-53)
vs NZ — Ind won by 8 wkts (Bangalore, 1995-96)
vs SA — SA won by 4 wkts (Mumbai, 1999-00)
vs Aus — Aus won by 10 wkts (Mumbai, 2000-01)
vs Aus — Ind won by 13 runs (Mumbai, 2004-05)
vs SA — SA won by an innings and 90 runs (Ahmedabad, 2007-08)
vs SA — Ind won by 8 wkts (Kanpur, 2007-08)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the eighth Indian cricketer to win the first Test as captain.
The following is the list
P. Umrigar — vs New Zealand (Bombay, 1955-56)
S. Gavaskar — vs New Zealand (Auckland, 1975-76)
R. Shastri — vs West Indies (Madras, 1987-88)
S. Tendulkar — vs Australia (Delhi, 1996-97)
S. Ganguly — vs Bangladesh (Dhaka, 2000-01)
V. Sehwag — vs Sri Lanka (Ahmedabad, 2005-05)
A. Kumble — vs Pakistan (Delhi, 2007-08)
M.S. Dhoni — vs SA (Kanpur, 2007-08)
The following are the instances where India have won the final Test of a series at home after trailing 0-1
1951-52 — bt Eng
1987-88 — bt WI
1998-99 — bt Pak
2007-08 — bt SA
Harbhajan Singh opened the bowling for the fifth time in a Test match
The following are the instances
vs WI — opened with Sachin Tendulkar, Result: Lost (Bridgetown, 2001-02)
vs Aus — opened with Zaheer Khan, Result: Won (Mumbai, 2004-05)
vs Aus — Opened with Zaheer, Result: Won (Mumbai, 2004-05)
vs SL — Opened with Irfan Pathan, Result: Won (Ahmedabad, 2005-06)
vs SA — Opened with Ishant Sharma, Result: Won (Kanpur, 2007-08)
Rahul Dravid (172 catches) went past Stephen Fleming (171) to become the second best catcher in Tests. Dravid took the catch of Paul Harris to reach the milestone. Mark Waugh (181) has the most number of catches.
The 46-run partnership between Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma is now the second best 10th-wicket partnership in Kanpur, the best being 52 between Andy Roberts and Peter Petherick for New Zealand vs India in 1976-77.
The pair bettered the previous best 10th wicket partnership by Indians in Kanpur. The record was held by Karsan Ghavri and Dilip Doshi who had put on 45 vs Pakistan (1979-80).
The partnership is also now the third best 10th-wicket partnership in Tests between India and South Africa.
TOP FOUR 10TH WICKET PARTNERSHIPS IN tests between INDIA-SA
74 — B. McMillan/A. Donald (Kingsmead, 1996-97)
52 — A. Agarkar/ M. Kartik (Mumbai, 1999-00)
46 — Sreesanth/ I. Sharma (Kanpur, 2007-08)
44 — S. Ganguly/ VRV Singh (Wanderers, 2006-07)
Neil McKenzie was Sreesanth’s 50th Test victim. Sreesanth joined Irfan Pathan as the second quickest Indian pacer to take 50 wickets (off 14 Tests). Venkatesh Prasad had taken 13 Tests to reach the milestone.
Graeme Smith (69 & 35) top-scored in both innings of the match for the first time in his career. He is the third South African captain to do so. The others are HW Taylor (59* and 56) and WJ Cronje (126 and 67).
