India's young guns will be looking to create history and win their first ever Test series in South Africa, when the two teams clash in the two-Test series starting in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
India have played five Test series in South Africa, losing four, while the last series in 2010-11 finished in a 1-1 draw. Out of 15 Tests played in South Africa, India have managed to win just two, while the hosts have emerged victorious in seven of those.
Rajneesh Gupta takes a look at the players' record and their individual performances ahead of the two-Test series.
Summary of results (Overall):
| Season | Tests | India | South Africa | Drawn |
| in India | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| in South Africa | 15 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Overall | 27 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
Summary of results (in South Africa):
| Season | Mts | India | South Africa | Drawn | Series winner |
| 1992-93 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | South Africa |
| 1996-97 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2001-02 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2006-07 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | South Africa |
| 2010-11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Drawn |
| Note: Series- 5, India won-0, South Africa won – 4, Drawn - 1 | |||||
Synopsis of matches:
| # | Start Date | Venue | Inns1 | Inns2 | Inns3 | Inns4 | Result |
| 1 | 13 Nov 1992 | Durban | SA 254 | Ind 277 | SA 176-3 | Drawn | |
| 2 | 26 Nov 1992 | Johannesburg | SA 292 | Ind 227 | SA 252 | Ind 141-4 | Drawn |
| 3 | 26 Dec 1992 | Port Elizabeth | Ind 212 | SA 275 | Ind 215 | SA 155-1 | SA- 9 wickets |
| 4 | 02 Jan 1993 | Cape Town | SA 360-9d | Ind 276 | SA 130-6d | Ind 29-1 | Drawn |
| 5 | 20 Nov 1996 | Ahmedabad | Ind 223 | SA 244 | Ind 190 | SA 105 | Ind- 64 runs |
| 6 | 27 Nov 1996 | Kolkata | SA 428 | Ind 329 | SA 367-3d | Ind 137 | SA- 329 runs |
| 7 | 08 Dec 1996 | Kanpur | Ind 237 | SA 177 | Ind 400-7d | SA 180 | Ind- 280 runs |
| 8 | 26 Dec 1996 | Durban | SA 235 | Ind 100 | SA 259 | Ind 66 | SA- 328 runs |
| 9 | 02 Jan 1997 | Cape Town | SA 529-7d | Ind 359 | SA 256-6d | Ind 144 | SA- 282 runs |
| 10 | 16 Jan 1997 | Johannesburg | Ind 410 | SA 321 | Ind 266-8d | SA 228-8 | Drawn |
| 11 | 24 Feb 2000 | Mumbai | Ind 225 | SA 176 | Ind 113 | SA 164-6 | SA- 4 wickets |
| 12 | 02 Mar 2000 | Bangalore | Ind 158 | SA 479 | Ind 250 | SA- Inns & 71 runs | |
| 13 | 03 Nov 2001 | Bloemfontein | Ind 379 | SA 563 | Ind 237 | SA 54-1 | SA- 9 wickets |
| 14 | 16 Nov 2001 | Port Elizabeth | SA 362 | Ind 201 | SA 233-5d | Ind 206-3 | Drawn |
| 15 | 20 Nov 2004 | Kanpur | SA 510-9d | Ind 466 | SA 169-4 | Drawn | |
| 16 | 28 Nov 2004 | Kolkata | SA 305 | Ind 411 | SA 222 | Ind 120-2 | Ind- 8 wickets |
| 17 | 15 Dec 2006 | Johannesburg | Ind 249 | SA 84 | Ind 236 | SA 278 | Ind- 123 runs |
| 18 | 26 Dec 2006 | Durban | SA 328 | Ind 240 | SA 265-8d | Ind 179 | SA- 174 runs |
| 19 | 02 Jan 2007 | Cape Town | Ind 414 | SA 373 | Ind 169 | SA 211-5 | SA- 5 wickets |
| 20 | 26 Mar 2008 | Chennai | SA 540 | Ind 627 | SA 331-5 | Drawn | |
| 21 | 03 Apr 2008 | Ahmedabad | Ind 76 | SA 494-7d | Ind 328 | SA- Inns & 90 runs | |
| 22 | 11 Apr 2008 | Kanpur | SA 265 | Ind 325 | SA 121 | Ind 64-2 | Ind- 8 wickets |
| 23 | 06 Feb 2010 | Nagpur | SA 558-6d | Ind 233 | Ind 319 | SA- Inns & 6 runs | |
| 24 | 14 Feb 2010 | Kolkata | SA 296 | Ind 643-6d | SA 290 | Ind- Inns & 57 runs | |
| 25 | 16 Dec 2010 | Centurion | Ind 136 | SA 620-4d | Ind 459 | SA- Inns & 25 runs | |
| 26 | 26 Dec 2010 | Durban | Ind 205 | SA 131 | Ind 228 | SA 215 | Ind- 87 runs |
| 27 | 02 Jan 2011 | Cape Town | SA 362 | Ind 364 | SA 341 | Ind 166-3 | Drawn |
Highest Innings Totals:
| India in India | 643-6d | Kolkata | 2009-10 |
| India in South Africa | 459 | Centurion | 2010-11 |
| South Africa in India | 558-6d | Nagpur | 2009-10 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 620-4d | Centurion | 2010-11 |
Lowest Innings Totals:
| India in India | 76 | Ahmedabad | 2007-08 |
| India in South Africa | 66 | Durban | 1996-97 |
| South Africa in India | 105 | Ahmedabad | 1996-97 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 84 | Johannesburg | 2006-07 |
Match aggregates:
| Highest Match Aggregate | 1288 for 33 wickets | Cape Town | 1996-97 |
| Lowest Match Aggregate | 660 for 40 wickets | Durban | 1996-97 |
Highest individual innings:
| India in India | 319 | V.Sehwag | Chennai | 2007-08 |
| India in South Africa | 169 | S.R.Tendulkar | Cape Town | 1996-97 |
| South Africa in India | 253* | H.M.Amla | Nagpur | 2009-10 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 201* | J.H.Kallis | Centurion | 2010-11 |
Most runs in a series:
| India in India | 388 (av 77.60) | M.Azharuddin | 1996-97 |
| India in South Africa | 326 (av 81.50) | S.R.Tendulkar | 2010-11 |
| South Africa in India | 490 (av 490.00) | H.M.Amla | 2009-10 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 498 (av 166.00) | J.H.Kallis | 2010-11 |
Record wicket partnerships (India):
| 1st | 218 | V.Sehwag (164), G.Gambhir (96) | Kanpur | 2004-05 |
| 2nd | 268 | V.Sehwag (319), R.Dravid (111) | Chennai | 2007-08 |
| 3rd | 249 | V.Sehwag (165), S.R.Tendulkar (106) | Kolkata | 2009-10 |
| 4th | 145 | R.Dravid (148), S.C.Ganguly (73) | Johannesburg | 1996-97 |
| 5th | 220 | S.R.Tendulkar (155), V.Sehwag (105) | Bloemfontein | 2001-02 |
| 6th | 222 | S.R.Tendulkar (169), M.Azharuddin (115) | Cape Town | 1996-97 |
| 7th | 259* | V.V.S.Laxman (143*), M.S.Dhoni (132*) | Kolkata | 2009-10 |
| 8th | 161 | M.Azharuddin (109), A.Kumble (88) | Kolkata | 1996-97 |
| 9th | 80 | V.V.S.Laxman (89), A.Kumble (28) | Port Elizabeth | 2001-02 |
| 10th | 52 | A.B.Agarkar (41*), M.Kartik (14) | Mumbai | 1999-00 |
Record wicket partnerships (South Africa):
| 1st | 236 | A.C.Hudson (146), G.Kirsten (102) | Kolkata | 1996-97 |
| 2nd | 212 | G.Kirsten (133), D.J.Cullinan (153*) | Kolkata | 1996-97 |
| 3rd | 340 | H.M.Amla (253*), J.H.Kallis (173) | Nagpur | 2009-10 |
| 4th | 224 | J.H.Kallis (201*), A.B.de Villiers (129) | Centurion | 2009-10 |
| 5th | 256 | J.H.Kallis (132), A.B.de Villiers (217*) | Ahmedabad | 2007-08 |
| 6th | 144 | A.J.Hall (163), Z.de Bruyn (83) | Kanpur | 2004-05 |
| 7th | 121 | L.Klusener (108), M.V.Boucher (47) | Bloemfontein | 2001-02 |
| 8th | 147* | B.M.McMillan (103*), L.Klusener (102*) | Cape Town | 1996-97 |
| 9th | 60 | P.S.de Villiers (67*), A.A.Donald (17) | Ahmedabad | 1996-97 |
| 10th | 74 | B.M.McMillan (51*), A.A.Donald (26) | Durban | 1996-97 |
Best bowling in an innings:
| India in India | 7/87 | Harbhajan Singh | Kolkata | 2004-05 |
| India in South Africa | 7/120 | Harbhajan Singh | Cape Town | 2010-11 |
| South Africa in India | 8/64 | L.Klusener | Kolkata | 1996-97 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 7/84 | A.A.Donald | Port Elizabeth | 1992-93 |
Best bowling in an match:
| India in India | 9/141 | Harbhajan Singh | Kolkata | 2004-05 |
| India in South Africa | 10/153 | B.K.V. Prasad | Durban | 1996-97 |
| South Africa in India | 10/108 | D.W.Steyn | Nagpur | 2009-10 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 12/139 | A.A.Donald | Port Elizabeth | 1992-93 |
Most wickets in a series:
| India in India | 19 (av 26.10) | Harbhajan Singh | 2007-08 |
| India in South Africa | 18 (av 25.94) | A.Kumble | 1992-93 |
| India in South Africa | 18 (av 28.72) | J.Srinath | 1996-97 |
| India in South Africa | 18 (av 22.00) | S.Sreesanth | 2006-07 |
| South Africa in India | 15 (av 20.20) | D.W.Steyn | 2007-08 |
| South Africa in South Africa | 21 (av 17.48) | D.W.Steyn | 2010-11 |
