IND vs SA, 2nd Test: List Of India's Biggest Defeats As Proteas Whitewash Gambhir's Boys
India vs South Africa: Chasing 549, India folded for just 140, eclipsing their previous worst loss, a 342-run setback against Australia in Nagpur in 2004.
IND vs SA, 2nd Test: India's aura of invincibility at home collapsed in dramatic fashion on Wednesday as Rishabh Pant-led team crashed to their heaviest defeat in Test cricket, suffering a 408-run thrashing at the hands of South Africa in the second Test in Guwahati.
Chasing 549, India folded for just 140, eclipsing their previous worst loss, a 342-run setback against Australia in Nagpur in 2004.
South Africa's win sealed a 2-0 series victory for Temba Bavuma's men, and handed India their second home whitewash in a little over a year.
India had fallen short in the series opener in Kolkata, losing by 30 runs on a treacherous, turning surface at Eden Gardens. In Guwahati, however, the pitch was far more consistent, yet the result was even more punishing.
The loss was jarring given the nature of India’s batting failures on what Kuldeep Yadav described as a road-like surface. India scraped together just 201 in the first innings and fared even worse in the second, folding for 140 to slump to a 408-run defeat. The result completed a miserable fortnight for the hosts.
India vs South Africa, 2nd Test: Day 5 Highlights
India were handed several lifelines on the final day, but none were put to meaningful use. Sai Sudharsan survived early when a Marco Jansen delivery that dismissed him was ruled a no-ball while he was on four. Kuldeep Yadav also received a reprieve when Aiden Markram put down a straightforward catch. Yet neither batter capitalised: Sudharsan made 14 runs from 139 balls, and Kuldeep added only five before departing.
From Marco Jansen to Simon Harmer, several players contributed to South Africa’s thrashing of India in Guwahati and the series whitewash.
Harmer tormented India with a six-wicket haul, complementing his three wickets in the first innings. He was well aided by Marco Jansen who also took nine wickets in the match.
India's Biggest Test Defeats (By Runs)
This marks only the third instance of India losing a home series in consecutive years. It is also the first time in more than 60 years that India have been beaten five times in a seven-Test stretch on their own soil.
408 runs vs SA, Guwahati, 2025
342 runs vs AUS, Nagpur, 2004
341 runs vs PAK, Karachi, 2006
337 runs vs AUS, Melbourne, 2007
333 runs vs AUS, Pune, 2017
329 runs vs SA, Kolkata, 1996
*Source: Cricbuzz
India have now lost five of their last seven home Tests. The only respite was a 2-0 victory over a struggling West Indies side in October, which came between two whitewashes, first the 3-0 drubbing by New Zealand in late 2024, and now the 2-0 loss against South Africa.
India Slip To 5th Position In WTC Points Table
The loss has also reshaped the early World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings, with India slipping to fifth place while South Africa climb to second. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India have recorded four wins, four losses and one draw in the current WTC cycle, with the 2-0 series defeat to South Africa marking their first series loss of this campaign.
