The record for the “shortest completed Test” was broken after 90 years

A new history has been made in cricket after the second red ball match between South Africa and India became the shortest Test ever completed after over nine decades.

Before the Cape Town match, the shortest Test was between Australia and South Africa in Melbourne in 1932, which lasted 656 balls (109 overs).

The previous record was broken after the Cape Town Test was completed in just 642 balls (107 overs).

After facing a humiliating defeat in the first Test at Centurion, which India lost by an innings and 32 runs, the visiting side held their nerve and chased down the target of 78 in just 12 overs to level the two-match series after winning the south. Africa all out for 176 in the second innings.

Additionally, the win took India to the top of the 2023-25 ​​World Test Championship table after their maiden win in Cape Town, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Both teams ended up sharing the trophy after India’s win leveled the series at 1-1.

Shortest Test Matches (In terms of balls)

1. 642 balls – India beat South Africa by seven wickets (2023, Cape Town)
2. 656 balls – Australia beat South Africa by an innings and 72 runs (1932, Melbourne)
3. 672 balls – England beat West Indies by four wickets (1935, Bridgetown)
4. 788 balls – England beat Australia by an innings and 21 runs (1888, Manchester)
5. 792 balls – Australia beat England by 61 runs (1888, Lord’s)

Match summary

Chasing a modest target on a difficult pitch, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal aggressively took charge from the start, scoring 28 runs off 23 deliveries before being caught on the boundary by Nandre Burger.

Both Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) were dismissed by Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen respectively, before Shreyas Iyer secured victory with a boundary off his only scoring shot.

Captain Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten on 16.

Aided by Markram’s 106 off 103 balls, South Africa were bowled out for 176 just before lunch.

Jasprit Bumrah hit figures of six for 61, narrowly missing Markram’s dismissal on 71 when the batsman caught a drive, and wicketkeeper KL Rahul could not get a catch over his head.

Markram faced a pitch offering pace, considerable seam movement and erratic bounce where no other team-mate managed to score higher than 15 in either innings.

His innings included 17 fours and two sixes, one of which sailed off the ground and landed on a rail over square leg off Prashid Krishna.

The 29-year-old captain was eventually caught at mid-on by Sharma off Mohammed Siraj, attempting another expansive shot.

Siraj was instrumental in India’s victory, claiming figures of six for 15 as South Africa collapsed for 55 before lunch on Wednesday.

A total of twenty three wickets fell on the first day.