72 runs in 72 overs! Unbelievable South Africa grind on day 4 in Kotla

New Delhi: Test match is all about patience and temperament and South African batsmen have shown it on on Day 4 of the final Test against India.

After India set visitors a target of 481 runs on the penultimate day of Kotla Test, Proteas started playing in ultra defensive mode and continued to fight to save the match.

Unbelievably, in the 72 overs they played in the day, the visitors scored only 72 runs - at a rate of one run per over.

Their approach looks negative, but the kind of situation they are in, it seems defence is the best way to deal with it.

For Proteas, skipper Hashim Amla, who has struggled throughout the tour, is leading the side with example.

At stumps, 32-year-old was unbeaten on 23 runs after facing 203 deliveries.

In fact, the right-hander created a new record as well by facing most number of balls for a single-digit score on the fourth today.

Amla took 113 balls to score 6 runs in the second innings as he broke the earlier record of Australian Carl Rackemann, who had taken 102 balls to get to 9 runs.

Amla came to the crease after Proteas lost their opener Dean Elgar before lunch on Day 4.

By the end of Day 4, South Africa were 72 for two, 409 runs short of the target.