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The Indian men’s cricket team departed for South Africa on December 6 (Wednesday) from Bengaluru for an all-format tour in the rainbow nation. The itinerary is set to unfold with a three-match T20I series (December 10 to 14), followed by a three-match ODI series (December 17 to 21). The final leg of the tour comprises a two-match Test series (from December 26), which will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship. South Africa remains a challenging place for India, particularly in Test cricket where a series victory has proven elusive. Despite previous Indian teams showing promise, they have fallen short of making history in South Africa. In three decades, India have won only four Test matches in South Africa.
Team India has undertaken eight previous tours to South Africa, with the inaugural visit occurring during the 1992/93 season. Under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin, the team engaged in a four-match Test series, followed by seven ODIs. India lost the Test series 1-0 and were defeated 5-2 in the ODI series.
After their maiden tour, India revisited South Africa in the 1996/97 and 2001/02 seasons. Unfortunately, Team India couldn’t secure a Test match victory on either occasion.
Historic win
India achieved a historic Test match win in South Africa during the 2006/07 tour. The tour comprised three Tests, five ODIs and one T20I. Despite a 0-4 loss in the ODI series, India won the lone T20I. In the Test series, marked by a stellar performance from pacer S Sreesanth, India clinched their first-ever Test win on South African soil.
Choosing to bat on the lively track of the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, India posted a first-innings total of 249. Under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, the team then bowled out South Africa for a mere 84, with Sreesanth leading the charge with figures of 5/40. In the second innings, India managed 236, to put on a lead of 401. South Africa, in response, were dismissed for 278, resulting in a 123-run victory for India. Despite taking a 1-0 lead, India eventually lost the series 1-2.
During the 2010/11 tour, Team India secured their second Test victory in South Africa. The tour commenced with the red-ball series and India faced an initial setback after losing the first Test at Centurion by an innings and 25 runs. However, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, India regrouped and orchestrated a series-levelling triumph at Durban. Harbhajan Singh capitalised on the slow track and bagged 4/10 to bowl out the hosts for 131 after India posted 205 in their first innings.
In the second innings, the visitors scored 228 with VVS Laxman contributing with a gritty 96. Pacers S Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan then claimed three wickets each to pave the way for India’s 87-run victory. The third Test at Cape Town concluded in a draw, resulting in a 1-1 finish for the three-match series.
Three years later in 2013, India flew to South Africa for three ODIs and a two-match Test series. India failed to win a single game on the tour, losing the ODI series 2-0 and the Test series 1-0.
India embarked on another tour of South Africa in the 2017/18 season under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. The tour encompassed three Tests, six ODIs and three T20I matches.
The journey began on a disappointing note as India faced a 72-run loss in the first Test at Cape Town. The series deficit increased to 0-2 after a 135-run defeat in the second Test at Centurion.
However, India managed a turnaround by securing a 63-run victory in the third Test in Johannesburg, concluding the series with a 2-1 result. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami played pivotal roles, each claiming five wickets in the first and second innings, respectively, preventing India from facing a whitewash. Despite the Test series loss, India scripted an ODI series win in South Africa.
India secured their only fourth Test win in two decades in South Africa during the 2021/22 tour. The tour commenced with India marking their first Test victory at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, a feat achieved in the third attempt. Opting to bat, KL Rahul’s resilient innings of 123 propelled India to a first-innings total of 327. Subsequently, the visitors dismissed the hosts for 197 before posting a score of 174 in the second innings, setting South Africa a target of 305 for victory. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami combined to bowl out the Proteas for 191, resulting in a 113-run win and a 1-0 series lead.
However, South Africa came back strongly to register victories in the second and third Test matches at Johannesburg and Cape Town, both with a seven-wicket margin. This enabled them to clinch the series 2-1.
Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, India have once again embarked on the journey to conquer South Africa. The upcoming tour will present India with an opportunity to rewrite the narrative and secure a historic Test series win against the Proteas.
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