India South Africa Test Series, 2018

Indian cricket team in South Africa in 2017–18

Question: Who amongst the following was selected as the ‘Player of the Series’ in the series of 3 Test matches played between India-South Africa concluded recently?
(a) Virat Kohli
(b) Mohammed Shami
(c) Kagiso Rabada
(d) Vernon Philander
Answer: (d) 
Related Facts:

  • Indian cricket team’s Tour to Africa (5th January-24th February, 2018)
  • 3 Tests, 6 ODIs and 3 T-20 matches will be paid in the tour.
  • Series of three Test matches concluded. (January 5-27, 2018)
  • South Africa won the Test Series (Freedom Trophy) 2-1.
  • Player of the series- Vernon Philander (S. Africa) scored 94 runs and 15 wickets in the series.
  • Most runs in the series – Virat Kohli (286 runs).
  • Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada of S. Africa and Mohammad Shami of India won the most 15-15 wickets.
  • First Test (5-8 January, 2018), Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town)
  • Jaspreet Bumrah made his international Test debut.
  • Riddhiman Saha becomes the first Indian cricketer to catch 10 catches in a Test.
  • From January 13th-17th, 2018, Second Test held at Super Sport Park (Centurion).
  • Mohammed Shami of India achieved 100th wickets in the Test match.
  • Cheteshwar Pujara became the first Indian batsman to be run out in both innings of a Test match.
  • Lungi Angadi became the 23rd African bowler to joins the club, taking 5 wickets in his first Test match.
  • From January 24th -27th, 2018 Third Test held at Wanderers Stadium, (Johannesburg).
  • Indian bowler Jaspreet Bumrah (5/54) ​​got the first five wicket haul for the first time in a Test match.
  • Virat Kohli as captain becomes the Indian cricketer who scored the most runs (3,456) in Test matches.
  • South Africa’s Diane Elgar became first opener batsman to be not-out twice in the Test matches since 1992.
  • Earlier, in the year 2015, he was remained not out on 118 against England.
  • Carry the bat or carry one’s bat in cricket means the opener who does not have a not out after the end of the entire innings.
  • This was the first test series of three matches or more, in which all the 40 wickets in the series (3 × 40 = 120 wickets) fell.
  • Earlier on three occasions 118 wickets fell in the three test matches series.
  • The highest 157 wickets fall in the four matches’ series.
  • Fall of 197 wickets in the five-match series is the best record.
  • Mohammed Shami in the second innings of the third Test match took 5 wickets for 28 runs, his best figure in Test cricket.
  • This is the third win of the Indian team in 20 Test matches in South Africa.
  • Indian team played 5 Tests at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, with two wins and three draws.
  • On December 1st, 2017, India defeated Sri Lanka in the Test series and equaled England and Australia’s world record of winning consecutive 9 Test series matches.
  • Indian team’s captain was Virat Kohli and South African team’s Captain was Faf du Plessis.
  • Indian team has failed to win the 10th consecutive Test series.
  • Victory in Johannesburg is the 21st win of Virat Kohli as Indian captain.
  • With this win he came at second place in the list of India’s most successful Test captains after Sourav Ganguly.
  • Dhoni is at top of this list with 27 Test wins.

Reference:                                         
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/1122269.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/1122268.html?template=fixtures
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18065/scorecard/1122278/South-Africa-vs-India-3rd-Test-India-in-South-Africa-Test-Series-2017-18/
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12081;type=series