Proteas make history in India

South Africa sealed only their second Test series win in India to bolster their position in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 Standings.

A comprehensive win in Guwahati ensured a 2-0 series win for South Africa in India. This marks just the second time that they have achieved a Test series win in the country after 2000.

Meanwhile, the loss by 408 runs marks India’s heaviest defeat (by margin of runs) in Test cricket.

The win has further strengthened South Africa’s position in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 Standings. The defending champions occupy the second position, right behind Australia, with 36 points from their four Tests. Their PCT improves from 66.67 to 75.

On the other hand, India slip below Pakistan in the standings and are now at the fifth place with their PCT dropping to 48.15.

After a sluggish start on Day One, Senuran Muthusamy (109) and Marco Jansen (93) made crucial lower-order contributions to propel the Proteas to 489 in the first innings.

Jansen continued his magic with the ball, snapping figures of 6/48, as the hosts were bundled out for a mere 201.

South Africa chose to not enforce the follow-on, instead extending their advantage to past 500, with Tristan Stubbs (94) leading the way in their third innings total of 260/5 before the declaration.

Simon Harmer, South Africa’s Player of the Match in Kolkata, was at his very best in the second innings as well. Adding to his 3/64 in the first innings, Harmer (6/37) ran through India’s batting line-up on Day 5 morning.

While Sai Sudarshan and Ravindra Jadeja mounted resistance, India’s fight broke in the second session as South Africa’s continued strikes meant that they secured a massive 408-run win in Guwahati. Ravindra Jadeja was the highest run-getter for the hosts with his 54 off 87 deliveries.

Another positive display for the visitors came from Aiden Markram, who stood tall in the field with a couple of stunning catches.

Reflecting on what has been an amazing feat from his team, skipper Temba Bavuma shared his thoughts on what helped his team to success, and why it’s one to cherish.

“It’s a massive achievement for the team and, for me personally, something I’ve been working towards and dreaming about for the last two months being injured and out of the game,” Bavuma said.

“It’s not every day that you can walk away from India with a two-nil series win,” he added.

The 35-year-old was part of the South Africa squads on their previous two Test tours of India (2015 and 2019) that suffered 3-0 sweeps at the hands of the hosts.

“What makes it sweeter for some of us is that we’ve been on the other side of the result and we know how tough it can be to win here, so for this group of gentlemen it’s an incredible achievement,” Bavuma said.

The Proteas skipper pointed towards a shift in mindset that’s helped them acclimatize better to different conditions.

“Everyone knows what their role is, what they want to do and how to go about it.

“As a team we’re in a very good space and winning in India will grow our confidence even more.

“Every single player is contributing, even the guys who come off the bench.”

“As a captain it’s difficult to get the ball out of the bowlers’ hands, they just want to keep bowling, especially Simon (Harmer) and Keshav (Maharaj).

“Simon was the man for us in this series, we’re so used to it being Kesh but they complement each other and work together brilliantly.”

Harmer snapped 17 wickets for South Africa across the two Tests and was named the Player of the Series for his heroics.

But it wasn’t the off-spinner’s first rodeo in the country. Having impressed on his first tour with 10 wickets from two outings, Harmer admitted that he leaves India with fonder memories.

“It's been a long road, 10 years later back here and completely different feeling. I'm going to leave with fonder memories compared to the last time,” Harmer said post-match in Guwahati.

“Getting over the line as a team over this Indian team is a hell of an effort.”

Harmer had made a comeback in the Proteas Test squad in the recent tour of Pakistan for the first time since 2023.

On his journey, the spinner added, "The steps I took when I was dropped from the national side to try and get better.

"Never in a million years did I think that I would have another shot at international cricket. Never in a million years did I think that I would come to India again.

"To be here, to win 2-0, to be Player of the Series, it's pretty special and quite surreal."

South Africa’s third win from their fourth Test in the ongoing WTC cycle puts them in firmer grip of the second spot, just below Australia, who remain undefeated after as many outings.

Speaking in the aftermath, India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that the final call on his tenure remained with the BCCI.

India endured just their third Test series whitewash at home after South Africa completed a comprehensive win on the fifth day of the Guwahati Test. Of the three home series sweeps, two have come under Gambhir's reign.

Speaking after the loss, Gambhir weighed into the decisions made by the team management going into the series.

“There’s no hindsight in sports. Whatever decisions we took, we took in the best interest of the team and we absolutely believed that those were in the best interest of the team,” Gambhir said.

When asked if he was the right person to be coaching the Test side, Gambhir stated that the ultimate decision lay with the board.

“It is upon BCCI to decide. I said it in my first press conference when I took over as head coach. Indian cricket is important, I’m not important.

He added: “And people keep forgetting about it, I’m the same guy who got results for the team in England. With a very young team. And I’m the same guy who won Champions Trophy and Asia Cup as well.”

The India head coach believes that the recent series loss to South Africa is different in nature to India's 3-0 loss at the hands of New Zealand last year, when the team featured senior members such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.

The trio have retired since and Gambhir added that the new grouping needs more experience under quality opponents to improve.

“The series against New Zealand was played with a very different team. The experience in that batting line-up and this batting line-up is chalk and cheese.

"Four or five batters in this top eight have played literally less than 15 Test matches.

“And they will grow, they are learning on the job. They’re learning on the field. Test cricket is never easy when you are playing against a top quality side. See you’ve got to give them time as well.

"Hopefully they keep learning as well. This is exactly what transition is, when you’ve got your batting lineup which has played less than 15-20 Test matches.

"They need time to absorb pressure and they need time to get better against quality attacks and quality sides.”

With two stunning home series defeats in as many years, Gambhir aims to improve India’s Test side before their upcoming challenges in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.

"Start prioritising Test cricket. And everyone needs to be a stakeholder for that. If we want Test cricket to flourish in India, we need an overall effort.

"We can’t put things under the carpet. If you get runs in white-ball format, you forget what you’ve done in red-ball cricket. That shouldn’t happen.

"You don’t need the most skilful and most flamboyant characters in Test cricket. You need the toughest characters, with limited skills, who will go on to succeed in Test cricket, irrespective of conditions and what the situation is."

The two teams will now square up in an ODI series starting on Sunday.

Results

14-18 November - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - SA won by 30 runs

22-26 November - ACA Stadium, Guwahati - SA won by 408 runs

Proteas ODI squad against India

Temba Bavuma (captain, DP World Lions), Ottneil Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Corbin Bosch (Momentum Multiply Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Dafabet Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Momentum Multiply Titans), Nandre Burger (World Sports Betting Western Province), Quinton de Kock (DP World Lions), Tony de Zorzi (World Sports Betting Western Province), Rubin Hermann (North West Dragons), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Marco Jansen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions) and Prenelan Subrayen (Hollywoodbets Dolphins).

Proteas T20I squad against India

Aiden Markram (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Ottneil Baartman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Corbin Bosch (Momentum Multiply Titans), Dewald Brevis (Momentum Multiply Titans), Quinton de Kock (DP World Lions), Tony de Zorzi (World Sports Betting Western Province), Donovan Ferreira (Momentum Multiply Titans), Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions), Marco Jansen (Momentum Multiply Titans), George Linde (World Sports Betting Western Province), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kwena Maphaka (DP World Lions), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Hollywoodbets Dolphins) and Tristan Stubbs (Dafabet Warriors).

ODI Series (local times)

Sunday, 30 November - First ODI at 1.30pm @ JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi

Wednesday, 3 December - Second ODI at 1.30pm @ Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur

Saturday, 6 December - Third ODI at 1.30pm @ Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

T20I Series (local times)

Tuesday, 9 December - First T20I at 7pm @ Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

Thursday, 11 December - Second T20I at 7pm @ New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh

Sunday, 14 December - Third T20I at 7pm @ Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala

Wednesday, 17 December - Fourth T20I at 7pm @ Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

Friday, 19 December - Fifth T20I at 7pm @ Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad