India slumped to their heaviest defeat in terms of runs on Wednesday, capitulating by a massive 408 runs in the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati and handing the visitors their first series triumph on Indian soil in 25 years.
The loss, India’s second home whitewash in just 13 months, has left their World Test Championship prospects in tatters. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India have now dropped five home Tests, against New Zealand and South Africa, marking the first time in 66 years that the side has suffered five defeats in a span of seven months.
Set an improbable 549 to win, India were expected at the very least to prolong the contest. Instead, they folded for 140 in 63.5 overs on a treacherous day-five surface where the ball spat and kicked with venom. Marco Jansen, who had already dominated with bat and ball, sealed the Test with a one-handed catch that summed up the gulf between the two sides.
South Africa’s victory was built on discipline, clarity and the incisive work of off-spinner Simon Harmer, whose turn, bounce and drift shredded an Indian batting order that appeared unprepared and technically uncertain. Harmer, playing his first Test in years, out-bowled the home spinners on the same surface, reviving his red-ball credentials.
What made the defeat more alarming was the lack of resistance. Once captain Rishabh Pant (13) was undone by extra bounce, the innings unravelled swiftly. The young middle order, Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Reddy, struggled to pick Harmer from the hand, often beaten in flight or misjudging length. Sudharsan’s painstaking 14 off 139 balls was a study in survival rather than assurance; he looked vulnerable throughout and fortunate to survive multiple dismissals.
The composition of the side again came under scrutiny. Gambhir’s inclination towards multi-skilled cricketers in the traditional format has left the team unsettled, with several players unsure of their roles. The lack of planning was apparent, from selection to batting approach. The basics, soft hands, decisive footwork and playing late, were missing, particularly against high-quality spin.
Only Ravindra Jadeja (53) offered fight, compiling a resolute half-century that momentarily steadied India but found no support at the other end. His dismissal, too, underlined India’s predicament: a solitary specialist capable of constructing an innings amid an increasingly fragile line-up.
South Africa, meanwhile, executed with conviction. Jansen’s all-round display, Temba Bavuma’s calm leadership and Harmer’s incisive spells reflected a team unburdened by history and buoyed by preparation. For the visitors, the win ends a long wait, their last series success in India came in 1999.
For India, the defeat carries wider implications. The red-ball side, long considered close to unbeatable at home, suddenly appear vulnerable. The aura that once intimidated visiting teams has evaporated, replaced by questions over selections, transitions, and the broader strategy under Gambhir’s stewardship.
On a cool Wednesday afternoon, as the sun dipped over the Barsapara stands, India’s collapse felt symbolic of deeper issues. Far from being a one-off, this latest defeat fits into a troubling pattern, one that now threatens to reshape India’s position in the longest format.
Also Read: India’s top order falters badly, Jansen turns the screw
Scoreboard:
South Africa (1st innings): 489
India (1st Innings): 201
South Africa (2nd Innings): 260-5d
India (2nd Innings): Yashasvi Jaiswal c Verreynne b Jansen 13 KL Rahul b Harmer 6 Sai Sudharsan batting 14 Kuldeep Yadav b Harmer 5 Dhruv Jurel c Markram b Harmer 2 Rishabh Pant c Markram b Harmer 13 Ravindra Jadeja st Verreynne b Maharaj 54 Washington Sundar c Markram b Harmer 16 Nitish Kumar Reddy c Verreynne b Harmer 0 Jasprit Bumrah not out 1 Mohammed Siraj c Marco Jansen b Maharaj 0.
Extras: (B-5, LB-9, NB-2) 16
Total: (all out in 63.5 overs) 140
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-21,3-40, 4-42, 5-58, 6-95, 7-130, 8-138, 9-140, 10-140.
Bowling: Marco Jansen 15-7-23-1, Wiaan Mulder 4-1-6-0, Simon Harmer 23-6-37-6, Keshav Maharaj 12.5-1-37-2, Aiden Markram 2-0-2-0, Senuran Muthusamy 7-1-21-1.
Also Read: India on verge of series whitewash
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