India vs South Africa 2019-20 3rd Test, statistical preview: India seek maiden whitewash of South Africa

India had thrashed South Africa by 203 runs at Visakhapatnam and by an innings and 137 runs at Pune. The teams will now meet in the “dead-rubber” third Test, at Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium Complex, Ranchi. Ahead of the match, here is a statistical preview.

Statistical preview

0 whitewashes inflicted by India upon South Africa, in 13 attempts. South Africa, however, had beaten India 2-0 in the 2-Test series of 1999-00, that too on Indian soil.

0.867 India’s win-loss ratio against South Africa (13 wins, 15 defeats), their worst against any country since South Africa’s readmission to Test cricket. Only against England have India won fewer matches (15) than lost (16) over the same period.

1 Test for India at Ranchi, back in 2016-17 against Australia. The Test had ended in a draw.

1 uncapped player in the Indian squad – Shubman Gill. He may become the 296th cricketer to play Test cricket for India.

2 uncapped players in the South African squad – Heinrich Klaasen and George Linde. They may add to the list of 338 South African Test caps. However, Klaasen has played for South Africa in limited-overs cricket.

3 whitewashes for India in this decade in series of 3 Tests or longer (4-0 against Australia, home 2012-13; 3-0 against New Zealand, home 2016-17; and 3-0 in Sri Lanka, 2017), the 2nd-most. A win here will help him draw level with Australia (4).

3 grounds in India where the only Tests have been drawn – Gandhi Stadium, Jalandhar; Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur; and JSCA Stadium Complex, Ranchi.

3 catches needed by Cheteshwar Pujara (47) to become the 15th Indian and 128th overall to reach 50 Test catches among non-wicketkeepers.

5 dismissals needed by Wriddhiman Saha (22 catches, 2 stumpings) to go past MS Dhoni (27 catches, 1 stumping) and top the list for most dismissals by an Indian wicketkeeper against South Africa. Mark Boucher (58 catches, 2 stumpings) holds the corresponding record for South Africa.

8 dismissals needed by Saha (82 catches, 10 stumpings) to become the 5th Indian (after Dhoni, Syed Kirmani, Kiran More, and Nayan Mongia) and 45th overall to reach 100 Test dismissals.

48 fifty-plus scores for Virat Kohli (26 hundreds, 22 fifties). Fifties in each innings will help him become the 9th Indian to the 50-mark. However, Kohli is 4th in terms of hundreds.

98 runs needed by Rohit Sharma (1,902) to become the 40th Indian and 312th overall to reach 2,000 Test runs.

330 runs for Mayank Agarwal in the series, the 3rd-most by an Indian against South Africa. Agarwal needs 43 to go past Virender Sehwag (372 in 2007-08) and 59 to go past Mohammad Azharuddin (388 in 1996-97) and top the list. However, Agarwal has batted only thrice in the series so far; Sehwag had batted 5 times and Azhar 6. Jacques Kallis holds the South African record against India (498 from 5 innings in 2010-11).