Guwahati: South Africa delivered a crushing blow to Team India by defeating them by 408 runs in the Guwahati Test, completing a historic 2-0 clean sweep on Indian soil after 25 years. Earlier, the Proteas had also won the Kolkata Test by 30 runs. The last time South Africa achieved a clean sweep in India was in 2000, when they won a two-match series 2-0.
Chasing a massive target of 549 runs at Barsapara Stadium on Wednesday, India collapsed for just 140 runs in their second innings. Ravindra Jadeja was the top scorer for India with 54 runs. South Africa’s Simon Harmer starred with the ball, claiming 6 wickets and dismantling the Indian batting lineup.
South Africa had declared their second innings at 260/5 on Day 4 after scoring 489 in the first innings. India, in reply, managed only 201 runs, setting up an impossible target and ultimately leading to one of the darkest moments in Indian Test history.
Biggest Test Defeat for India by Runs
This 408-run loss is now India’s biggest defeat in Test cricket in terms of margin of runs, both overall and at home. The previous record was a 342-run loss against Australia in Nagpur in 2004. Simon Harmer was named Player of the Series for his outstanding performance.
India Slips in WTC Rankings
Following this defeat and the 0-2 series whitewash, India has slipped from 4th to 5th position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 standings. India’s points percentage has dropped to 48.15 after 9 matches. Pakistan now sits fourth with 50%, while South Africa continues to strengthen its position at second place on the WTC table.
In this WTC cycle, India is scheduled to play 18 Tests in total — 9 have been completed and 9 remain. Historically, teams need a points percentage between 55% and 65% to qualify for the WTC final. This means India must now win at least 6 to 7 of their remaining 9 Tests to stay in contention for the final.
With momentum firmly on their side, South Africa have not only asserted their dominance in the series but also reinforced their status as a strong contender for the World Test Championship final.
