Duanne Olivier became the 34th South African and 398th bowler overall to complete a half-century of wickets in Tests. The right-arm fast-medium bowler from Groblersdal reached this landmark by dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara, caught by Temba Bavuma at point, in India's first innings on the opening day of the second Test match at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Monday (January 3).
He had become the joint third-quickest South African to get there in terms of Tests. Duanne Olivier had got there in his 11th Test, the same as Bert Vogler, Hugh Tayfield and Allan Donald but behind Vernon Philander (7 Tests) and Peter Pollock (9 Tests).
Duanne Olivier, who took his 50th wicket off 1486th ball, is the second-quickest to 50 Test wickets in terms of balls after Vernon Philander (1240 balls) since 1900. England’s slow left-arm orthodox spinner Johnny Briggs took his 50th wicket off his 1512nd ball, against South Africa at Cape Town in March 1889.
** Lokesh Rahul scored 30 runs off the first 100 balls which was the second-fewest runs Lokesh Rahul has scored off the first 100 balls he's faced in a Test innings (out of the 15 instances of him facing at least 100 balls). The top four of the five instances when he has scored the fewest off his first 100 balls have come since his comeback in August 2021.
** Ajinkya Rahane received his maiden duck in the 19th innings of the 12th Test match against South Africa. Overall, it was his 10th duck in 137 innings of 81 Test matches. The right-handed batter was out off the first ball for the first time in his career.
** Lokesh Rahul became the 34th player to lead India in Tests. He led India for the first time after playing 41 Tests. He is the fourth from Karnataka to lead India after Gundappa Viswanath (1980/2 Tests), Rahul Dravid (2003-2007/25 Tests) and Anil Kumble (2007-2008/ 14 Tests). India were missing Virat Kohli, the regular skipper, ruled out of the Test with an upper back spasm.
** Lokesh Rahul who made 50 off 133 balls with nine fours, became the eighth Indian to score a fifty on Test captaincy debut.
** India played six Tests in Johannesburg and every Test with a different captain, Mohammed Azharuddin (1992), Sachin Tendulkar (1997), Rahul Dravid (2006), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2013), Virat Kohli ( 2018) and Lokesh Rahul (2022).
FASTEST 50 WICKETS FOR SOUTH AFRICA IN TESTS
(Bowler - Match - Time)
Vernon Philander - 7 - 137 days;
Peter Pollock - 9 - 2 years & 79 days;
Bert Vogler - 11 - 4 years & 60 days;
Hugh Tayfield - 11 - 3 years & 75 days;
Allan Donald - 11 - 1 year & 288 days;
Duanne Olivier - 11 - 4 years & 356 days.
