Impact Players - India/RSA ('04-'05 Series)

Name: Virender Sehwag

Series stats

Batting:
Runs scored: 262
Average: 87.33
Highest score: 164 runs in the 1st Test at Kanpur

Best performance:
Batting: 164 runs in the 1st Test at Kanpur

Sehwag’s era of demolition:

 

© AFP

The mid-2000s can be easily categorised as the Sehwag era in India cricket. He was at his supreme best with the bat and was feared by most bowlers around the world. The ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ led the runs tally for India in both forms of the game during that period with his swashbuckling style of batting. The Proteas got a dose of the Sehwag hurricane during the 2-Test series in 2004.

The first two days of the Kanpur Test can be tagged as highly boring days of cricket as South Africa racked up a total of 510 runs in a mammoth 190.1 overs. On day 3, the belligerent stroke play of Virender Sehwag brought some life to the game. A jam-packed crowd at the Green Park stadium erupted like a volcano whenever a boundary was caressed off Sehwag’s willow. The Delhi batter clobbered the Proteas attack that was clueless and searching for a desperate breakthrough. The aggressive opener smashed a staggering 164 runs in 228 balls. His innings was well compiled with 24 boundaries and two flat sixes. The first Test ended in a tame draw.

In the second Test at Kolkata, South Africa managed to put up a total of 305 runs on the board thanks to Kallis’ 121 runs. Sehwag once again led the Indian reply by playing a blistering knock of 88 runs, his eight Test fifty. His innings came off just 118 balls. More importantly, India gained a pivotal 106-run first innings lead. South Africa were bowled out for 222 runs with India needing 117 runs to win the Test and claim the series. The hosts did so with 8 wickets in hand but Sehwag was dismissed cheaply for 10 runs during the chase.

Sehwag pocketed the Man of the Series honour for his tally of 262 runs at a stunning average of 87.33. He had one ton and a fifty under his belt in this series.
 

Name: Harbhajan Singh

Series stats:

Bowling:
Wickets: 13
Best Figures: 7-87 in 2nd Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Batting:
Runs scored: 31
Average: 15.50
Highest score: 17 in 1st Test at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur

Best performances:
Bowling: 7-87 in 2nd Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Batting: 17 in 1st Test at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur

Bhajji spins the web around the Proteas:

 

© AFP

Ever since the 2001 series against Australia, Harbhajan Singh has never looked back on his cricketing career. He has shouldered the India spin attack along with Anil Kumble for the past eight years now. It’s a tough task for any batsman around the world to survive the spin duo of Harbhajan-Kumble on dusty subcontinent pitches. South Africa came to find out why it is so in this particular series.

After a boring draw at Kanpur, the action shifted to Kolkata for the series decider. The hosts took a healthy lead of 106 runs on day 4. Harbhajan then started to spin his magic around the South African batsmen. His sharp off-spinners and variations like the ‘doosra’ were too tough for the Proteas batsmen to tackle. One by one, all the batsmen fell in the Turbanator’s trap and the visitors were bundled out for 222 runs. Harbhajan picked up his 15th five-wicket haul in the Test and finished with excellent figures of 7-87 from 30 overs. He was well supported by the close-in fielders who took some slick catches.

India went on to win the Test match by eight wickets and eventually clinched the series 1-0. Harbhajan was named Man of the Match and was the leading wicket-taker in the series with 13 scalps against his name.

- Rohan Tawde