India v South Africa 2025: Visitors hand India biggest defeat by runs to complete series sweep

South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat by runs to complete a compelling 2-0 series sweep in Guwahati on Wednesday.

The Proteas won by 408 runs in the second Test to claim just their second series win in India, and their first since 2000 under Hansie Cronje.

The defeat surpasses India’s previous heaviest loss, which was by 342 runs against Australia in Nagpur in 2004.

South Africa had declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase of 549.

But the visitors bowled out India for 140 in 63.5 overs on the final day of the contest, with Ravindra Jadeja providing the only resistance for India with 54.

Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets for South Africa, while Aiden Markram took a record nine catches.

“It’s a great feeling, a great effort by everyone to be fair,” Markram said afterwards.

“As a group, you’ve got to believe that you can compete against the best in their backyard and get into the battle and see where it gets you… proud of the team.”

World Test champions South Africa won the two-Test series opener in Kolkata by 30 runs.

Prior to last October’s 3-0 defeat by New Zealand, India hadn’t lost a Test series on home soil for 12 years.