South Africa: The only country where India are yet to win a Test series

Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket Team recently achieved a feat that no other Indian Team had managed in the last 71 years. This was the first time in the history of India touring Australia that India had managed to beat Australia in a Test series at their own home.

The team managed to win the four test series 2-1 and brought the Border-Gavaskar Trophy back home. While Virat Kohli rated this as the most emotional win in his international cricketing career, coach Ravi Shastri went on to say that this win was perhaps even bigger than the 1983 World Cup and the 1985 World Championship victories in the post-match conference.

With this win, India have managed to record a series win against all Test playing countries at their home except South Africa.

1992- India’s first tour of South Africa

Indian skipper Azharuddin and South African skipper Kepler Wessels with an official

Indian team toured South Africa for the first time in 1992. This Indian team was led by Mohammad Azharuddin. Under his captaincy, India played a four-match Test series in South Africa. The host team emerged the victors of the series by a winning a Test while all other Test matches ended in a draw. Since then, India have played a total of seven Test series in South Africa without being able to win the series once. While India faced a defeat in six of the seven series, one series in 2006-07 ended in a draw.

Three Test wins in South Africa

Sreesanth's display of perfect swing bowling helped India win their first Test match in South Africa

Although India have failed to win a Test series in South Africa till date, they have managed to clinch a few matches in these tours. India’s first Test win ever in South Africa came in 2006 when Rahul Dravid was the captain. The first Test of this series was played at Johannesburg where S Sreesanth bowled a special spell of swing bowling to help India win the Test match by 123 runs. In 2011 and 2018, India added to their tally of Test wins in South Africa but on all occasions failed to clinch the series.

India’s lowest total in South Africa

In front of Donald's pace, extras top scored for India

India’s lowest total in South Africa is 66 runs. This came in the 1996 Durban Test match where Indian batsmen failed to apply themselves in the middle. In response to South Africa’s 235 runs in the first innings and 259 in the second, India managed just 100 runs in the first innings and 66 in the second.

Although Indian cricket has come a long way ahead since that forgettable performance in 1996, India are still in search for their first ever Test series victory in South Africa.