Despite South Africa’s victory in the final One Day International against India in Ahmedabad on Saturday this series will be remembered for Sachin Tendulkar’s historic 200 not out in the second match in Gwalior. India held an unassailable lead in the series but the Proteas were keen to salvage pride in their final match of the season.

While the city of Ahmedabad celebrated a whopping 600th birthday this weekend the average age of the Indian team that took the field on Saturday was a stark contrast. India fielded two debutantes, Murali Vijay and A Mithun. South Africa also gave both Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe a run, playing two spinners for the first time in the series. JP Duminy’s injury also meant a reshuffle of the batting order as Herschelle Gibbs was slotted into a middle-order berth.

After Jacques Kallis won the toss and decided to bat first, Hashim Amla and Loots Bosman made a fantastic start for the Proteas. Bosman was prolific straight down the ground and proved a huge challenge to India’s inexperienced attack. Bosman and Amla went on to make 113 in 15 overs until Bosman held one out to Pathan in the deep. Bosman’s certainly given the selectors food for thought as he staked a claim for a regular spot in the fifty over game. Amla and Kallis then went on to steady the South African innings, cleverly rotating the strike without taking too many risks. Amla departed on 87 unfortunate to miss out on a century. His fine form showed no sign of abating. Kallis was then joined by AB de Villiers who took an immediate liking to the young Indian attack, amassing a century in the final over the innings off a paltry 59 balls. If de Villiers’ innings was bright lights and fireworks Kallis was the epitome of patience and restraint. Not to be outdone by de Villiers however he brought up his century with consecutive sixes in the 49th over.

India came out to bat chasing an intimidating 364 to win with a line up significantly mitigated by the absence of Sehwag and Tendulkar. Karthik and debutante Murali Vijay got the Indian innings off to a flying start with boundaries early on. Karthik was soon dismissed by Steyn while Vijay soon followed. Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina then steadied the innings as they amassed scores of 57 and 48 respectively. But while they knocked the ball around, the required run rate was dramatically escalating.

The bulldog of the Proteas, Roelf van der Merwe combined with Morne Morkel and Johan Botha to slip in a slew of tight overs and both batsmen struggled to find the boundary. The run rate soon spiked and Dale Steyn capitalised on the pressure by taking a couple of wickets. When the batting power play was taken Suresh Raina threw his bat around to collect a few boundaries and India seemed to be whiffing a chance again but the target would ultimately prove insurmountable.

While Tendulkar was awarded the man of the series award, South Africa’s men of the tour are certainly Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla. There is no doubt that in South Africa and India the power of world cricket lies fiercely contested. India’s tour to South Africa is bound to be a feast for cricket lovers the world over.