As the Indian cricket team prepares for the upcoming challenge against South Africa, enthusiasts reminisce about some of the most memorable battles between the two sides. The IND vs SA Boxing Day Test is all set for an epic showdown at Centurion as skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the pitch.
IND vs SA: A Rivarly for ages
The historic rivalry between India and South Africa has produced a plethora of unforgettable moments in international cricket. Notable instances include India’s Test triumph in 2006, the formidable pace of Allan Donald in 1996, Sourav Ganguly’s impactful return to the national team, and Sachin Tendulkar’s remarkable achievement of scoring his 50th Test century.
One of the iconic showdowns that unfolded during India’s Test series in South Africa in 2006, featured S Sreesanth and Andre Nel. The intense encounters led to a remarkable moment when Sreesanth struck Nel for a six down the ground, sparking a flamboyant celebration that etched itself into cricket history.
Following his six against Nel, Sreesanth waved his bat in jubilation and showcased a lively dance on the pitch, seemingly in response to a remark made by the South African pacer. In a conversation with Sportskeeda a few years ago, Sreesanth shed light on the incident and what transpired between him and Nel that day.
A lot of people are not aware of what he said, but he said a lot of things to me. In the first innings, I had picked up five wickets, and when Andre Nel walked out, he hit for a six. He was literally on me. It started when he was batting. When I walked out to bat in the second innings, he started saying to me ‘you are not good enough’ just to mentally trouble me,” Sreesanth told SportsKeeda.
“He came up to me and said ‘you don’t have a heart; you are not good enough and some bad words too’. So when I hit him for six, and everyone called it a dance. I would want to clarity that it wasn’t a dance; it was a horse-riding celebration. I did what I felt was right at the same time. It was more like what Sourav dada had done at the 2002 Natwest Trophy,” recalled Sreesanth.
Sreesanth’s impressive bowling performance of 5/40 had rattled South Africa in the first innings, limiting the home team to a mere 84 runs. The match continued to be memorable for Sreesanth as he secured three more wickets in the second innings, contributing to India’s historic maiden Test victory in South Africa.
