Indian cricket just faced one of its shameful series at home. South Africa beat India by 408 runs in Guwahati to end a historic whitewash. This 2-0 series defeat marks India’s first loss to South Africa at home since 1996. That’s a full 25 years of unbeaten record against the Proteas gone completely.
South Africa’s Dominant Performance Throughout
Temba Bavuma’s leadership proved very bright during this IND vs SA test series. He joins legendary Hansie Cronje as the only South African captain to win a series in India. That’s some elite company for Bavuma to be in right now.
South Africa posted a huge 489 runs in their first innings at Guwahati. Senuran Muthuswamy scored a classy century with 109 runs. Marco Jansen added 93 runs. Their partnership pushed India further behind in the match.
The visitors’ bowling attack then destroyed India’s batting lineup on the final day. Simon Harmer was so lethal by taking 6 wickets for just 37 runs. He finished with 17 wickets overall in the series which shows his dominance. India managed only 140 runs while chasing a giant 549-run target.
India’s Record-Breaking Defeat Raises Questions
Unfortunately, this wasn’t just any regular loss for India at all. The 408-run margin became India’s biggest Test defeat by runs ever recorded. It surpassed their previous worst of 342 runs against Australia from 2004.
India faced a 500-plus fourth innings target at home after 21 long years. They failed badly under that pressure when it mattered most for them. This marks their second consecutive home series loss. Last year, New Zealand defeated India in home tests.
Rishabh Pant made his captaincy debut but couldn’t match Bavuma’s leadership qualities. India’s strategies and team selections are now being questioned heavily by experts. Their World Test Championship hopes took a massive hit with this loss.
India dropped to fifth position with a 48.15 PCT in the WTC standings currently. South Africa initially faced criticism for not enforcing the follow-on after India’s poor first innings. But that decision proved smart as their bowling attack had enough cushion.
