Greg Chappell’s tenure as India’s coach ended post the disastrous 2007 ODI World Cup campaign. India subsequently played under several managers and interim coaches, and impressed in Bangladesh, England and Australia. During the same time, they won the inaugural T20 World Cup under M.S. Dhoni in South Africa.
Rahul Dravid also stepped down as captain. For the first time in their history, India opted for split captaincy: Dhoni led in the limited-overs formats and Anil Kumble in Tests.
The team was in a content space when they returned from a tri-series win in Australia. Gary Kirsten officially took charge as the new head coach in March 2008. His first full series in charge was against his home country, South Africa.
The three-Test series began in sweltering conditions in Chennai. Electing to bat, South African openers – Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie – continued from their carnage in Bangladesh, where they added 415 to set a new world record opening partnership. This time they added 132.
Batting well into the third session of Day 2 and riding on Hashim Amla’s 159, South Africa put up 540. The Indian openers bettered their South African counterparts. Wasim Jaffer (73) and Virender Sehwag (319) added 212 for the first wicket. Sehwag and Rahul Dravid (111) then added 268 for the second wicket – a contrasting partnership where Sehwag scored 185 off 152 balls and Dravid contributed with a 203-ball 68.
In what was no less than a carnage, Sehwag scored his and India’s second triple hundred, joining the league of Don Bradman and Brian Lara as the only batters to breach the 300-run mark twice. Since then, only Chris Gayle has achieved the feat.
What was incredible was Sehwag’s strike rate! His 319, the highest individual Test score by an Indian till date, came off 304 balls at a strike rate touching 105.
India finished with 627 by tea on Day 4. The match was heading one way – a draw. South Africa got 331/5 in the second innings, with McKenzie remaining unbeaten on 155, and Amla followed up his first-innings hundred with an 81.
The arena now shifted to Ahmedabad. Thanks to a hot summer, the curator had to leave grass on the pitch to ensure it remained bound. India elected to bat and did not last a session. Dale Steyn enjoyed the extra bounce and lateral movement to wreak havoc into the Indian line-up that had already lost Sachin Tendulkar to an injury.
India were bowled out for 76. They were bowled out so early that South Africa batted before lunch. South Africa were themselves 117/4 at one stage before Jacques Kallis (132) and A.B. de Villiers (217*) added 256 runs for the fifth wicket. They declared at 494/7 at the end of the second day’s play.
Sourav Ganguly started the 2007/08 season brilliantly against Pakistan at home. He looked good in Australia as well until the Sydney Test, following which he scored 9, 0, 7, 18, and 24, followed by 0 in the first innings in Ahmedabad. There was a buzz that Yuvraj Singh would replace him in Kanpur. He stood up to the challenge and stroked an elegant 87, sharing a 110-run stand with Dhoni (52) for the fifth wicket, the only resistance shown in the innings.
An innings defeat at home was met with criticism from all quarters. Sunil Gavaskar lambasted the players for focusing on the build-up of the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL), which was less than a fortnight away. He asked them to sort their priorities.
Already without Tendulkar, India now lost captain Kumble to an injury, allowing Dhoni to lead for the first time in Test cricket. That, too, in a do-or-die situation in the Kanpur Test. South Africa batted first on a surface with plenty of turn and variable bounce from Day 1. South Africa fought on and piled 265.
India’s lead would not have been possible without the mastery of Laxman (50) and Ganguly (87) on a minefield. The hallmark of Ganguly’s innings was his ability to find gaps and maintain a strike rate above 73 to ensure the scoreboard kept moving. He ended his career with 16 Test centuries, but his 87 at Kanpur was arguably his most valuable innings against the red ball, alongside the unbeaten 98 at Kandy.
India’s lead of 60 seemed invaluable. Harbhajan Singh then took four wickets and Sehwag three to bundle out South Africa for 121, and India chased down 62 without drama. The ICC rated the track 'poor', the South Africans slammed the track and the facilities at Kanpur, but the elated Indians rewarded the groundsman with INR 10,000. India averted a series defeat at home.
1st Test: South Africa 540 and 331/5 decl. drew with India 627. Player of the Match: Virender Sehwag.
2nd Test: India 76 and 328 lost to South Africa 494/7 decl. by an innings and 90 runs. Player of the Match: A.B. de Villiers.
3rd Test: South Africa 265 and 121 lost to India 325 and 64/2 by eight wickets. Player of the Match: Sourav Ganguly.
Test series drawn 1-1. Player of the Series: Harbhajan Singh