Wanderers Wonder Help India Retain ICC Test Mace
The famous victory over South Africa in the third and final Test at Wanderers has ensured India would stay atop the ICC Test Rankings and have also retained the ICC Test mace. The Proteas won the series 2-1 but it was not enough for them to topple the visitors.
The ICC, on Saturday (January 27), confirmed that India has retained the Test mace and will receive an award of $1 million for it as the win in the third Test has ensured that South Africa cannot upsurge them by April 3, 2018 – the cut-off date, even if they win all their Tests against Australia in March. Virat Kohli & Co. have held on to the mace since receiving it in 2016 after the win over New Zealand in Indore.
India had started the recently-concluded series with 124 points – 13 ahead of the Proteas but the series loss has reduced their points tally to 121. On the other hand, South Africa only managed to cut the deficit down to 8 points which have kept them at the second spot. The Proteas would have toppled India, had they pulled off a 3-0 series win against Kohli & Co. and then a win the series against Australia by a margin of 2-0 or better.
Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis & Co. will have to win at least one Test against Australia in March in order to retain their second position in the rankings which will see them earn $50,000 while third-placed Australia will pocket $20,000. Australia will have a chance of leapfrogging the hosts but for doing so they will have to win the series 3-0 or 4-0.
Kohli will be presented with the mace and a cheque of $1 million in a presentation ceremony, the details of which are yet to be announced.
Wonder at Wanderers:
Coming to the last Test, India had their back against the wall defending 241 when Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla scored brilliant half-centuries and gave the Proteas a solid start on day four. However, the match turned on its head when Ishant Sharma ended the 119-run stand by dismissing Amla.
It opened the floodgates as India went on to take the remaining 8 wickets for just 53 runs to bowl out the hosts for 177. Dean Elgar remained stranded
