Bavuma's SA silence doubters with miracle at Eden Gardens, Gambhir defends pitch

South Africa pulled off a sensational victory inside three days of the opening Test against India on Sunday and the manner of it would go a long way in silencing those who doubted their credentials as the reigning world Test champions.

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Previously known for their penchant to choke in big tournaments, South Africa registered their first major triumph in June when they beat Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The Proteas landed in India to prove that their WTC glory was no fluke and Temba Bavuma's men jumped to the second spot in WTC standings, leapfrogging India and Sri Lanka, after their 30-run victory in the low-scoring contest at Eden Gardens.

It was South Africa's first Test win in India since 2010 and Bavuma led by example.

On a tricky track where the ball spun sharply and bounced irregularly, Bavuma struck the only fifty of the match by any batter and deftly marshalled his bowlers, who skittled out India for 93.

A back-pedalling Bavuma followed a swirling ball and took a smart catch to remove Axar Patel that effectively sealed their victory in front of 40,000-odd fans at Eden Gardens.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer's haul of eight wickets earned him the player-of-the-match award but Bavuma's heroic unbeaten 55 dragged his team back into the contest.