In the second Test that ended at the Barsapara Stadium on Wednesday, South Africa’s national cricket team defeated India’s national cricket team by 408 runs to win the two-match series 2-0. With this victory, South Africa swept the Test series in India after 25 years. A look at the match: In the first Test in Kolkata, South Africa defeated India by 30 runs. In the second Test in Guwahati, the visiting team scored 489 runs in the first innings. In reply, India’s first innings was reduced to 201 runs. South Africa then declared on 260/5 in the second innings and set a mammoth target of 549 runs for India. But the Indian team was all out for just 140 runs in the second innings. Who was the shining star? South Africa’s spinner Simon Harmer played an important role in the victory – he took 6 wickets in the second innings. Ravindra Jadeja produced the best contribution of the second innings for India, scoring 54 runs in 87 balls – but his innings alone could not save the team from defeat. History and Results This is India’s biggest ever defeat by a margin of runs in Test cricket. It is also the first time South Africa have won a Test series in India in 25 years – the last time they defeated India 2–0 was in 1999–2000. The defeat makes India’s position even more critical – their WTC 2025–27 ranking has also seen a decline. What is ahead for India now? Such a defeat at home not only affected the confidence of the team, but questions are also raised about the selection policy, bowling and batting frame. Critics say the lack of experienced Test specialists in the current squad and strategic mistakes in selection were the main reasons. With the sharp bowling of its bowlers, adequate batsman support and balanced team selection, South Africa has made it clear that it can now perform wonders on Indian soil. Share this story Tags