South Africa humiliate India in Guwahati; sweep series 2-0

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Last updated on: November 26, 2025 13:27 IST

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Images from Day 5 of the second and final Test between India and South Africa, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, in Guwahati, on Wednesday. 

Simon Harmer

IMAGE: Simon Harmer celebrates the wicket of Washington Sundar with his South Africa teammates on Day 5 of the second Test, in Guwahati, on Wednesday. Photograph: BCCI

A dominant South Africa trounced by India by 408 runs in the second and final Test in Guwahati on Wednesday to complete a thumping 2-0 series sweep.

Chasing a target of 549 runs, India were bowled out for 140 in their second innings on Day 5.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer recorded career-best figures of 6 for 37 runs even as Ravindra Jadeja offered sole resistance with an entertaining 54 off 87 balls. No other Indian batter went past the 20-run mark.

Ravindra Jadeja celebrates his half-century.

IMAGE: Ravindra Jadeja celebrates completing a half-century. Photograph: BCCI

Once skipper Pant (13) was dismissed, unable to counter the bounce, the writing was on the wall. The likes of Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Reddy simply did not have enough preparation to read the turn from Harmer's hand.

Marco Jansen, who played the perfect all-rounder in this Test, took a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Mohammed Siraj off the bowling of Keshav Maharaj to trigger celebrations in the South Africa camp.

Senuran Muthusamy celebrates the wicket of Sai Sudharsan.

IMAGE: Senuran Muthusamy celebrates the wicket of Sai Sudharsan. Photograph: BCCI

This is the reigning World Test champions' first series triumph in India after a long wait of 25 years, and their largest in terms of runs in Tests.

Aiden Markram (9) set a record for most catches in a Test match, overtaking Ajinkya Rahane's eight, in 2015.

Simon Harmer snared three India wickets in the morning session to put South Africa high in the saddle.

IMAGE: Simon Harmer snared three India wickets in the morning session to put South Africa high in the saddle. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, skipper Pant failed to survive the vagaries of a typical fifth day track as Harmer once again was India's nightmare, extracting turn and vicious bounce, to put South Africa on the cusp of victory.

The target of 549 was never in equation, but the manner in which India struggled their way to 90 for 5 at tea signaled that Harmer (4/23 in 19 overs) was more at ease on this track than Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were through the two innings.

 

South Africa's players celebrate after Simon Harmer dismisses Rishabh Pant.

IMAGE: South Africa's players celebrate after Simon Harmer dismisses Rishabh Pant. Photograph: BCCI

The Barsapara strip was one of the best Indian tracks provided in recent times, where batters with proper technique and application were able to score, as the pacers who knew their lengths excelled and spinners with guile ruled the roost.

After taking eight wickets in Kolkata, Harmer has already seven in the current game and looks good for a few more.

Marco Jansen celebrates the caught behind dismissal of Sai Sudharsan before it was ruled a no-ball.

IMAGE: Marco Jansen celebrates the caught behind dismissal of Sai Sudharsan before it was ruled a no-ball. Photograph: BCCI

Sai Sudharsan, lucky to survive three clear cut dismissals, including a plumb leg before off Harmer on Day 4, was unbeaten at the break on 14 off 138 balls.

He was caught behind, but Marco Jansen overstepped for a no-ball and a catch was dropped in the slips; the left-hander never looked convincing even once during the two-hour session. It seemed he would get out at any time.

But good news for India was that he hung around.

Sai Sudharsan avoids a bouncer.

IMAGE: Sai Sudharsan evades a bouncer. Photograph: BCCI

In the morning, Harmer breached through Kuldeep Yadav's (5 off 38 balls) defence after a 30-minute vigil and Dhruv Jurel (0) got a pair for the first time in Tests.

This time it was Harmer, who bowled a slider that drifted away while the batter jabbed at it to give catching practice to Aiden Markram, stationed at first slip.

Rishabh Pant lofted Keshav Maharaj into the stands but knew that survival was difficult.

It was Harmer who got one delivery to bounce, and even as Pant defended it awkwardly he was caught as the ball flew off the shoulder of the bat to Markram.

Ravindra Jadeja (23 batting, 40 balls) joined Sudharsan and hit Maharaj over deep mid-wicket for a six and added 32 runs for the sixth wicket to delay the inevitable.

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