Skipper Dean Elgar led from the front with an unbeaten 96 to help the Proteas secure a seven-wicket victory over India on the fourth day of the second Test in Johannesburg on Thursday to level the ongoing three-match series at 1-1 and set up a winner-takes-all finale in Cape Town. 

This was the first time in six attempts that India lost a Test match at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium, where the visitors had won twice and drawn three of their previous five encounters.   

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Chasing 240 to win, the day started with South Africa resuming from their overnight score of 118 for the loss of two, with Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen on strike. After two sessions of play were washed out due to rain, the Proteas made light work of the target after Tea, wrapping up the win in less than two hours. 

Elgar notched his 18th Test fifty shortly after play resumed before adding another 57 runs in the first hours with van der Dussen. The parternship for the third wicket was worth 82 before Mohammed Shami had van der Dussen caught behing for 40. 

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Temba Bavuma had a little scare, surviving a caught-and-bowled chance after chipping a Shardul Thakur delivery right back at the all-rounder. Bavuma scored a steady 23 off 45 balls and partnered Elgar as the captain missed a deserved century by a whisker when he hit a boundary off Ravichandran Ashwin to bring up the victory, the third-highest 4th innings total chased by the hosts at home. 

Elgar was named player of the match for his unbeaten 96 and gritty 28 – which came from 120 deliveries – in the two innings. His second innings score was the second highest by any South Afrcian captain against India in Tests. 

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The win sets up a thrilling finale at Cape Town’s Newlands Ground, with the decisive Test set to be played from January 11 to 15.