Rohit Sharma drops 'Gabba' win comparison after record Cape Town win to match MS Dhoni

The Cape Town win helped Rohit match Dhoni's stellar captaincy feat achieved in South Africa in the 2010/11 series.

From being put on a pedestal, to being written off, to showing why they will always remain a force to reckon with in Tests - that has been the story of India's draw series in South Africa. The Rohit Sharma-led side was touted to complete what no other Indian team managed to do it in the last 32 years - win a Test series in South Africa - but the hopes were left shattered inside three days when the visitors incurred an innings defeat in Centurion. However, just when the side was written off, with questions raised aplenty on the team combination, the side bounced back to a thunderous win in Cape Town, their first-ever victory at the venue in seven attempts. Elated with the achievement, Rohit, who matched the legendary MS Dhoni with the win, likened the record Cape Town win with India's victory at the Gabba in the 2020/21 Test series in Australia.

India's batter Rohit Sharma celebrates after India won the second Test match against South Africa, at the Newlands Cricket Ground, in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Jan. 4 (PTI)

Opting to bat first, South Africa were folded for just 55 runs, the lowest all-out total they recorded since their readmission, after Mohammed Siraj finished with magical figures of 6 for 15. India then took a 98-run lead after their lower order crumbled for zero runs in just 10 deliveries. Aiden Markram later waged a lone fight with his 103-ball century in the second innings, but the hosts could only set a target of 79 runs, which was chased down inside 12 overs on the second day of the match in Newlands, for the loss of three wickets.

Talking to the media after India's seven-wicket win in just five sessions, the shortest Test ever played, Rohit compared the victory to the one the team had managed against Australia three years back in Gabba. It was the first-ever win by any visiting side at the venue since 1988.

"It'll be one of our best Test match victories. Having not won here in Cape Town [before], obviously this puts it right up there with all the victories that we've had. It's very hard to compare the Test matches that you play because every Test match has its own importance and own relevance. The Test match that we won at The Gabba as well. The last test match that was lost by Australia in Brisbane was in 1988, I think. Nearly after 23, 24 years [32 years] we won the Test match there. It kind of became like their fortress. They never lose a test match there," Rohit said.

"And the way we won that Test match as well was quite important. From where we came, we were 1-nil down, we won in Melbourne and then we drew the Test match in Sydney and then won in Brisbane. So you can't really rank the Test matches, but this has to be right up there because we had not won here. That shows how important a venue this is for us to come here and perform. I give a lot of credit to our team to put up a performance like that and win the game."

The win also helped Rohit become the second captain to lead India to a drawn Test series in South Africa after Dhoni in 2010/11 contest, which was albeit a three-match contest. The hosts had scripted a win by an innings in the opener in Centurion before India came roaring back in Kingsmead with an 87-run win. The final game, where Sachin Tendulkar had scored a stunning 146, had ended in a draw, leaving Jacques Kallis' twin tons in vain.