South Africa won the second Test in Guwahati by 408 runs on Wednesday, their first series triumph in India in 25 years, as spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets.
On day five in Guwahati, South Africa, the world Test champions, bowled out a pitiful India for 140 in a massive chase of 549 to complete a 2-0 Test sweep. After being crushed 0-3 by New Zealand the previous year, this marks India’s fifth loss in seven home Test matches and their largest defeat by runs.
Harmer, a 36-year-old off-spinner, delivered figures of 6-37 as South Africa won a Test series in India for the first time under Hansie Cronje in 2000.
After Keshav Maharaj had Ravindra Jadeja stumped for 54, the spinner took Mohammed Siraj’s last wicket after Marco Jansen made a sensational catch in the deep.
South Africa defeated the hosts once more in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track after India lost the first Test in Kolkata in three days on a field with variable bounce.
On day four, the visitors declared their second innings at 260-5, giving India a record chase. However, the hosts’ batting failed once more and never came close.
Early in the day, India was fortunate when Jansen got Sai Sudharsan behind, but the bowler overstepped and the delivery was ruled a no-ball. The batter was on four.
Another overnight batsman, Kuldeep Yadav, survived a reprieve on four in the following over after being dropped by Aiden Markram at first slip off Harmer.
India’s relief was short-lived, though, as a relentless Harmer quickly dismissed Kuldeep for five for the day’s opening wicket. After dismissing Dhruv Jurel for two after three balls, the off-spinner quickly got rid of captain Rishabh Pant for 13 as India fell to 58-5.
On a pitch where South Africa chose to bat and posted 489, the hitters dropped like nine pins. South Africa chose to bat again instead of enforcing the follow-on after India was bowled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288.
Left-arm quick Marco Jansen tore through India with figures of 6 for 48 in the first innings, after earlier smashing a rapid 93 with the bat. All-rounder Senuran Muthusamy then anchored South Africa’s batting with a composed 109 — his maiden Test century.
