In a dramatic and historic Test match, South Africa stunned India with a 30-run victory after defending a modest target of 124. The low-scoring thriller at Eden Gardens has now entered cricket’s record books, marking the first Test on Indian soil—and the first in 24,361 days globally—to witness all four innings end below 200 runs.
South Africa, who last won a Test in India 15 years ago, produced a remarkable bowling performance to dismiss India for just 93 runs in their final innings. The match was dominated by challenging pitch conditions, which sparked significant controversy, with only South African captain Temba Bavuma managing a half-century across both teams’ innings.
Bavuma’s gritty 50 in the third innings helped South Africa reach 153, setting India a target that ultimately proved too steep. Spinner Simon Harmer led the attack with four wickets, while Marco Jansen’s early strikes against Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul set the tone.
Rare Test Cricket Feat After 66 Years
This Test became only the 12th match in cricket history where all four innings finished under 200 runs. The last instance occurred in 1959 during the Pakistan vs West Indies Test in Dhaka, making this a once-in-decades statistical shock.
Bavuma’s Captaincy Milestone
With this victory, Bavuma extended his extraordinary captaincy record. He remains unbeaten in 11 Tests, with 10 wins and one draw, becoming the fastest captain to reach 10 Test victories.
India’s Struggles Lay Bare
The defeat highlighted India’s growing vulnerabilities on turning tracks—an unexpected weakness for a team historically dominant at home. After a surprising whitewash by New Zealand earlier this year, this loss signals deeper issues ahead of India’s packed home season in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
