South Africa Coach Hails Phenomenal Team After Thrashing India

Shukri Conrad (Image Source: Google)

South Africa coach Shukri Conrad revealed his frustration on Thursday over his players being under-rated following an innings-and-32-run win over number one ranked India in the first Test in Centurion.

With opening batsman Dean Elgar, who will retire after the two-Test series, scoring 185 and Marco Jansen making a career-best 84 not out, South Africa took their first innings score to 408 for a 163-run lead on the third day.

Their pacemen then bundled India out for just 131 in 34.1 overs, with only Virat Kohli (76) resisting their surge to victory.

Left-arm quick Nandre Burger took four for 33, giving him seven wickets on his debut, while fellow left-armer Marco Jansen took three for 36 and first-innings hero Kagiso Rabada grabbed two for 32 to add to his five first-day wickets.

"This win was massive for us and what makes it bigger is that it makes sure India have never beaten us in a Test series here," Conrad told reporters.

"We know what a quality side India are, but we also know what we are," the coach said after South Africa's first innings win over India since 2010 at the same venue.

"We are a brilliant team at home and we have really gelled as a unit. A lot of the time that has been about freeing the guys up, allowing them to be the best versions of themselves.

"People have questioned whether South Africa still produce good players and we have shown that we do.

"Sometimes I think we are too humble, raving about overseas players and not realising what we have.

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