Top 5 South African Test collapses against India

The recently concluded pulsating Test series between South Africa and India was completely dominated by the fast bowlers on either side.

Only one century was scored and the bowlers affected some dramatic batting collapses that will be remembered for a long time. South Africa themselves got shot out for low scores many times and if anyone thinks that these collapses were an aberration then he would be mistaken.

The Proteas have had plenty of such collapses against India in the past and many of them have gone down in Indian cricket folklore.

Here is a look at 5 of South Africa's most dramatic collapses against India in Test cricket.

#5 1st innings at Johannesburg, 2013

The short two-Test series back in 2013 in South Africa started well for India when they triggered a collapse in the hosts' first innings in the first game at Wanderers and got their noses ahead in the game.

Having chosen to bat first, India scored 280, thanks to a 119 from Virat Kohli. It wasn't a huge score but kept them in the Test match.

However, all hopes of putting South Africa on the backfoot evaporated quickly when Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla started griding the bowlers down. They reached 130 for 1 and it appeared that the hosts were on target for a big first innings lead.

In the last session on the 2nd day, the Test turned when Amla was bowled by Ishant Sharma and then the innings imploded. The rock solid Jacques Kallis went off the 2nd delivery he faced and South Africa lost 5 wickets in the space of around 6 overs.

They added only 16 runs and were reduced to 146 for 6 from 130 for 1. Vernon Philander, however, scored 59 and they eventually ended up scoring 244. That being said, they were looking good for far more. The game ended in an exciting draw.

#4 1st innings at Mumbai, 2000

India's dustbowls have seen visiting teams gasping for breathe plenty of times over the years and the one that was served up in Mumbai back in 2000 in the first Test of the series induced another famous South African collapse.

India batted first and had it not been for Sachin Tendulkar's masterly 97, they would not have made 225. However, when South Africa batted, the pitch seemed to have eased out as openers Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten played the Indian bowlers with ease.

They reached 90 for no loss on the second day and seemed to be well placed to take the first innings lead.

That is when Tendulkar brought himself on and changed the course of the South African innings. He dismissed Gibbs and triggered the collapse. Suddenly the pitch looked full of spin, bounce and spite.

Batsmen came and went, as South Africa went from 90-0 to 101-4. There was no real recovery as they kept losing wickets and were eventually dismissed for 176. India took the lead out of nowhere but could not cash in.

India's own collapse for 113 in the second innings proved fatal and South Africa won the game by 4 wickets.

#3 2nd Innings at Ahmedabad, 1996

When it comes to a 4th innings collapse in Test cricket in India, anyone would expect the spinners to play the major role but in the 1st game of the series at Ahmedabad, South Africa succumbed to the hostility of Indian fast bowler Javagal Srinath.

After the teams had almost cancelled each other's 1st innings scores out (India made 223, South Africa made 244), South Africa dismissed the hosts for 190 and were left to score 170 to win the Test and take the lead.

They were expected to score those runs but when the innings started, Javagal Srinath was breathing fire and quickly sent back Andrew Hudson and Daryll Cullinan before South Africa could even score a run.

The stage was set and although Gary Kirsten and Hansie Cronje tried to resurrect the situation, they could not do much. The third wicket went down with the score at 40 and then it was a procession as South Africa lost the last 8 wickets with the addition of only 65 runs, to be all out for 105. Srinath picked up 6 wickets.

#2 1st innings at Durban, 2010

After having lost the 1st Test of the 3 game series back in 2010-11, India roared back to square the series at Durban in the second Test and South Africa suffered another collapse in the face of some superb Indian bowling in their 1st innings.

On a typical Durban track, Dale Steyn steamrolled the visitors with a 6 wicket haul and India could only make 205 in their 1st innings. It was a poor score and it was expected that South Africa would soon put the game beyond India. However, it did not unfold as many expected.

The Indian fast bowlers, led by Zaheer Khan had the hosts in the hop from the outset. The first wicket went down in the 5th over when Zaheer had Graeme Smith caught behind with the score at 23.

Despite excellent bowling, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis looked in control with the score at 67-2. Disaster struck when Kallis was run out and soon the collapse began. From 67-2, South Africa lost 8 wickets for 63 runs within a space of 22 overs and crashed to 131 all out.

Zaheer Khan picked up 3 wickets and Harbhajan Singh returned figures of 4 for 10 in 7 overs. India went on to record a famous 87 run win.

#1 1st innings at Johannesburg, 2006

When India arrived in South Africa for the Test series in 2006, they were still trying to register their first win in the country and in the very 1st Test match at the Wanderers, they completed a dramatic win.

The win, of course, was the result of an incredible South African collapse and an equally superb spell of bowling from India's forgotten man S. Sreesanth. It seemed that India's decision to bat first had backfired badly when they were dismissed for 249 on the second day. However, they fought back in scintillating fashion during South Africa's response.

Graeme Smith was dismissed leg before wicket by Sreesanth in the 2nd over, while Zaheer Khan removed Herschelle Gibbs in the next over to reduce South Africa to 5 for 2. The procession continued as the swing and seam generated by Sreesanth seemed unplayable at times. Batsmen came and went.

In the space of 15.2 overs, they had lost 6 wickets for 38 runs and only Ashwell Prince, who made 24, offered some resistance. However, that did not amount to much as India kept plugging away and eventually dismissed the hosts for 81. Sreesanth finished with 5 for 40 in 10 overs as South Africa were dismissed in 25.1 overs.