Guwahati, Nov 26: India crashed to the biggest defeat in their Test history on Wednesday, losing to South Africa by 408 runs in the second Test in Guwahati after being set a target of 549. The hosts folded for 140, surpassing their previous heaviest loss — a 342-run defeat to Australia in Nagpur in 2004.
“This is a tough moment for us. We have to accept that South Africa outplayed us in every department,” an Indian team official said after the match.
The result completed a 2–0 series sweep for the visitors. It also marked only the third instance of India losing a home Test series in back-to-back years, and the first time in more than six decades that they have dropped five of seven home Tests.
The collapse added to India’s list of heavy defeats: 341 runs to Pakistan in Karachi in 2006, an innings and 336 runs to West Indies in Kolkata in 1958, and 333 runs to Australia in Pune in 2017.
“For us, this series win is special. Beating India at home is never easy,” South Africa’s captain said.
