Team India is taking on South Africa for three-match Test series starting today with the Boxing day Test in Centurion. Virat Kohli & Co do not have a great record at the rainbow nation winning only 3 three matches across 29 years.
Opting to bat first, the visiting side has got off to a flying start with KL Rahul leading the batting pack with an outstanding century. India will look to keep up the momentum and seal another Boxing Day Test victory.
On that note let’s look at the top 3 wins by Team India in the Boxing Day Tests.
#3 India vs Australia (Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2018)
Coming into the 2018/19 series against Australia, India had never won a Test series on Australian soil in history. Many felt 2018 was India’s destiny to make it happen after a comprehensive win in the series opener at Adelaide but their hopes were dashed with a crushing loss in the second game by a huge margin of 146 Runs.
Coming into the third game at the MCG on Boxing Day, the series was level and Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat. Team India made changes as Mayank Agarwal was given debut replacing KL Rahul in the playing Xi after opting to bat first.
India scored a mammoth target of 443/7 thanks to a brilliant 106 by Pujara who topped the scoring charts. Captain Kohli made 82 runs while debutant Agarwal made an instant impact on the game scoring a fluent 76.
In reply, Australia were bundled out for 151 riding on Jasprit Burmah’s fiery spell. He picked up 6 wickets which included the likes of Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazelwood.
India declared in the second innings at 106/8 to set up a mammoth target of 399 for Australia to go 2-1 up in the series but the hosts were bowled out for 261 runs.
As a result, India took a crucial 2-1 lead in the series which ensured a series victory for Team India.
#2 India vs South Africa (Durban, 2010)
Out of the three Test-match victories in South Africa, one came during a Boxing Day Test match in 2010 at Durban. Coming off a huge defeat in the first game losing by an innings and 25 runs, South Africa won the toss and opt to bowl in the second Test in Durban.
The decision proved to be right as India was bowled out for 205. Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers picking up a six-wicket haul.
In reply, South Africa were bowled out for 131 runs as Harbhajan Singh spun the web around the South African batting picking up 4 wickets. In the second innings, a fine knock of 96 from VVS Laxman helped India put 228 on the board and set a target of 303.
Ultimately, India registered an 87-run victory on a tricky surface with Sreesanth and Zaheer taking three wickets each in the final innings. India leveled the series with an emphatic victory.
#1 India vs Australia (Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2020)
India’s finest victory in a Boxing Day Test match arguably came last year against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Coming on the back of a humiliating defeat in the series opener in Adelaide, where they were bowled out for just 36, the visiting side made a superlative comeback.
Despite losing the services of captain Virat Kohli because of personal reasons and senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami to injury, India bounced back in style to register a stunning eight-wicket victory to level the series.
Australia won the toss and opt to bat in the second Test but was bowled out for 191 Runs riding on Jasprit Bumrah’s four-wicket haul. In reply, India posted 326 runs with stand-in captain Rahane Scored 112 Runs.
Australia were bundled for 200 Runs in the second innings with debutant Siraj being the pick of the bowlers picking 3 wickets. While Bumrah Jadeja Ashwin ended with 2 wickets each
Team India were given a target of 70 runs which was easily chased down by the visitors to level the series.
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