Jacques Kallis’ send-off party

Soon Kallis was being carried around the ground,seated on the shoulders of Smith and Morne Morkel. As the lap of honour trudged around Kingsmead,Kallis stood out like a beacon,just like he has for close to two decades. The tributes continued to flow. Not long after Dale Steyn revealed a conversation that the retiring all-rounder had had with his South African team at the end of Day Two. Please ensure that my final Test doesnt fizzle out into a draw, he had said.

Smith & Co hadnt let him down. They had not just fulfilled Kallis wishes. The No.1 Test team in the world had done so in style. The end was rather anti-climactic in terms of the almighty scrap the two teams had indulged in at the Wanderers for a stalemate in the first Test. The eventual margin was symptomatic of that. A victory for the home team by 10 wickets and a convincing one at that. Smith and Petersen only required 11.4 overs to surpass their target of 58.

The script couldnt have panned out better even if Kallis himself had been in-charge of writing it. A century in his final Test and a series win for South Africa. This was also the 82nd win of his career,placing him at fifth position among cricketers with most Test victories-behind four Australians from the indomitable Steve Waugh captaincy era.

While Kallis walked away from the Test arena in a blaze of glory,this was very much Steyns match. It was he who had set the Indian first innings back with a burst of pace and seam movement. And it was Steyn again who set the ball rolling on the final morning. In fact,he did so with his very first delivery of the day. Virat Kohli might have spent a few moments complaining about the decision. But it was a brute of a delivery to receive first-up. The ball pitched on a length,reared up and moved away late from Kohli. The No.4 had to play at it. That was it for him.

Not many would have debated the fact that Indias main hopes of saving the second Test rested squarely on the shoulders of Cheteshwar Pujara. Steyn extinguished those hopes in his second over of the day. He required only four deliveries. The first was a bouncer that Pujara ducked under. For the second,Steyn came from wide of the crease. The ball angled in and was defended stoutly. He went back to his usual angle for the third one. Pujara was rushed but adjusted late to combat the late in-swing. Steyn then followed it up with the ball of the Test match,probably the series. He went wide of the crease again,the ball swerving in with the angle. But on pitching it changed direction,leaving Pujara and hitting his off-stump. India were now 78/4,the result already seeming inevitable.

Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane did instil some hope for a while before Vernon Philander had the former trapped with a ball tailing back in.

India now were reduced to praying for rain. As luck would have it,not a single cloud was sighted on the final day of their tour where rain had literally followed them around. The skies remained blue,the sun shining bright on the Proteas.

Even Robin Peterson chipped in getting rid of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja,both of whom played shots that they would want to forget in a hurry. Rahane though fought on but his battle was a futile one. By the time he perished for 96,the tail had caved in again with India bowled for just 223,leaving South Africa with 58 to chase down,which they did with consummate ease. Then the Kallis farewell party commenced.

As the shadows lengthened and the Durban sun prepared to set,the South Africans returned to the centre of Kingsmead as a team for one last time in the company of Kallis. They assembled around,sang their team song,Protea Fire,shared laughs and high-fives. Kallis was right in the mix. He sat on the same pitch where he had begun his Test journey 18 years ago in the company of his captain. This was a team enjoying the moment to the fullest.

This was a team bidding farewell to their foremost hero. This was a team on top of the world.

Steyn,Rohit in war of words

While South Africa were dominant overall during the final days play at Kingsmead,there was a little needle between a fired-up Dale Steyn and Rohit Sharma.

I’ve scored more runs than you in this series, Steyn was heard saying to Indias middle-order batsman. He also apparently questioned what Sharma had done in his career.

Sharma who eventually fell to Vernon Philander for 25 averaged 11.25 in four innings. Steyn whose 44 played a crucial role in South Africas first innings total of 500,finished with a batting average of 30. Sharma responded with a Lets see what you do when you come to India? Steyn incidentally averages 20.23 for 26 wickets in five Tests in India.

That wasnt the only verbal exchange on Monday. Virat Kohli spent a few moments pointing at his arm after he was given out caught behind off Steyn. Then one of the South African players was heard saying,Why dont you f*****g review that Virat?