Pooja Vastrakar's Costly Drop Fails to Derail India's Test Victory

India's Pooja Vastrakar's costly drop in the fourth day of the one-off Test against South Africa at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday allowed Nadine de Klerk to survive and potentially alter the course of the match.

In the 153rd over of South Africa's second innings, de Klerk attempted to hit a fuller delivery across the line, resulting in a top edge that flew towards mid-off. Vastrakar, positioned at mid-off, initially caught the ball but fumbled twice before eventually dropping it. Renuka Singh also rushed towards Vastrakar in an effort to catch the dropped ball but also failed to grab it.

The dropped catch proved costly as de Klerk went on to score 61 runs, helping South Africa post a respectable total of 373 in their second innings. However, India's bowlers, led by Sneh Rana's impressive 8/77 in the first innings, ultimately proved too strong for the visitors.

Despite valiant efforts from captain Laura Wolvaardt (122) and former skipper Sune Luus (109), South Africa were unable to avoid an innings defeat. India's openers, Shafali Verma and Shubha Satheesh, quickly reached the target of 37 runs in 9.2 overs, sealing a resounding 10-wicket victory for the hosts.

Verma's blistering 197-ball double-century in the first innings was a record-breaking performance, while Rana's career-best figures helped dismiss South Africa for 266. India's dominance continued in the second innings, with the bowlers restricting South Africa to 373 despite de Klerk's half-century.

The victory marked a significant achievement for India, who have now won their last three Test matches against South Africa. It also highlighted the team's depth and resilience, with several players stepping up to make crucial contributions.

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