India Survive Rabada Onslaught to Edge South Africa by 32 Runs in Nail-Biter

In a heart-in-the-mouth thriller at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, India clung on for a dramatic 32-run victory over South Africa in the 4th Test on December 11-15, 2025, taking a 3-1 lead in the Freedom Trophy. Defending 278 on a day-five minefield that spat and kept low, India’s bowlers — led by Jasprit Bumrah’s 5 for 68 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s 4 for 78 — triggered a South African collapse from 198 for 4 to 246 all out. India had earlier posted 412 in the first innings, anchored by KL Rahul’s gritty 142, and restricted the Proteas to 380 before a second-innings 245 set up the tense finale. Kagiso Rabada’s ferocious 7 for 92 nearly turned the game, but India’s lower-order fightback and final-day resolve sealed a famous win.

The coastal arena, packed with 35,000 fans across five days — day five’s 18,000 a wall of noise under floodlights — witnessed a pitch that started batsman-friendly, offered reverse swing on day three, and became a snake-pit by the end. Rohit Sharma’s toss win and decision to bat first looked shaky early but was vindicated by Rahul’s marathon. For Aiden Markram, the loss was agony — within 33 runs of a series-levelling miracle. As Bumrah yorked Ngidi to spark wild celebrations, India’s home fortress held firm.

India XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

South Africa XI
Aiden Markram, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney & Paul Reiffel. Third umpire: Anil Chaudhary.

India 1st Innings – 412 all out (132.3 overs)
Jaiswal fell early — caught behind off Rabada for 8 — 18-1. Rohit (38) edged Jansen to slip — 68-2. Gill and Kohli added 88, but Maharaj trapped Gill lbw for 52 — 156-3. Kohli scratched 48 before Rabada’s bouncer hurried him — top-edged to fine leg — 188-4. Rahul arrived and grafted. He reached fifty off 112 balls, then 100 off 188 with a flicked four off Ngidi. Pant (58) counter-attacked with sixes, Jadeja (32) rotated, Ashwin (28) scratched — India collapsed from 398-5 to 412 all out. Rabada 5-112, Maharaj 3-98.

South Africa 1st Innings – 380 all out (128.2 overs)
Markram (48) pulled Siraj for six before edging to slip — 78-1. Bedingham and Bavuma added 112; Bedingham fell lbw to Jadeja for 68 — 190-2. Bavuma reached 98 before Ashwin’s doosra bowled him — 228-3. Stubbs (82) and Rickelton (58) pushed to 348-4, but Bumrah’s reverse swing shattered: Mulder bowled for 12, Maharaj stumped for 18 — 380 all out. Bumrah 4-88, Ashwin 3-102, Jadeja 2-78.

India 2nd Innings – 245 all out (82.3 overs)
Jaiswal (28) edged Rabada — 48-1. Rohit holed out to long-on off Maharaj for 32 — 88-2. Gill (42) and Kohli (38) added 68, but Rabada ran riot: Kohli yorked, Rahul caught behind for 58 — 188-5. Pant (25) smashed two sixes before stumped off Maharaj, Jadeja bowled for 12 — 245 all out. Rabada 7-92 (match 12-204), Maharaj 3-68. Target: 278.

South Africa 2nd Innings – 246 all out (88.3 overs)
Markram fell early — yorked by Bumrah for 8 — 18-1. Bedingham (38) edged Jadeja — 68-2. Bavuma and Stubbs added 98; Bavuma reached fifty before Ashwin trapped him lbw for 68 — 166-3. Stubbs fought to 78 before Bumrah’s bouncer top-edged to fine leg — 198-4. Rickelton (28) and Mulder (18) scratched, but Ashwin spun gold: Maharaj stumped for 12, Jansen bowled for 0 — 228-7. Rabada (8) skied Siraj, Ngidi yorked by Bumrah — 246 all out. Bumrah 5-68, Ashwin 4-78.

Rohit Sharma: “Rahul’s 142 set it; Bumrah’s five-for sealed it under lights.”
Bumrah, Player of the Match: “Vizag reverse suited; team nerve held.”
Markram: “32 runs short — Rabada’s 12 nearly did it.”

Series: India 3–1 South Africa
Decider: 5th Test, Eden Gardens, December 18-22.
India one win from retaining the Freedom Trophy.