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Match Report: Day 5 – Proteas Finalize Dominant Series Victory
South Africa delivered a final, devastating blow on Day 5 of the second Test in Guwahati, bowling out India for a low total to seal a colossal 408-run victory. The result ensures a clean 2-0 series sweep for the Proteas—a feat only achieved once before by South Africa in India, back in 2000.
Historic Dimensions of India’s Defeat
The margin of victory establishes several unwelcome records for the Indian team:
- The 408-run defeat is India’s largest Test defeat by runs in the 21st century and their third-largest defeat ever.
- The result is also South Africa’s second-biggest victory margin in Test history.
- India has now lost two home Test series in two consecutive years (following the 0-3 loss to New Zealand last year)—a pattern last seen four decades ago.
The Architects of the Rout: Harmer and Jansen
The victory was built on sensational individual performances that successfully neutralized India’s traditional home advantage.
- Simon Harmer (Player of the Series): The off-spinner was simply unstoppable throughout the series. He finishes with an incredible 17 wickets, marking the most wickets taken by a South African bowler in a Test series in India, surpassing Dale Steyn’s record. Of all bowlers with 20+ wickets in India, Harmer now boasts the best average and strike rate—a truly historic performance for a visiting spinner.
- Marco Jansen (Player of the Match): Jansen’s contribution was immense, following his devastating 93 runs with the bat by delivering aggressive bowling that disrupted the Indian top order. The way he used bounce and the short ball to dismiss the Indian lineup was exceptional for a visiting pacer.
Captaincy Milestones and Player Reaction
The victory marks a huge feather in the cap for the leadership of Temba Bavuma.
- Bavuma’s Record: He now boasts 11 wins in his first 12 Tests as captain, making him the quickest skipper in Test history to reach the 10-win mark, surpassing Ben Stokes and Lindsay Hassett.
- Indian Collapse: The series exposed significant vulnerability in India’s batting. The team finished the two Tests with an average of just 15.23 runs per wicket—the second-lowest average for India in any Test series. They also completed the series without an individual hundred.
- Rishabh Pant’s View: Indian captain Rishabh Pant acknowledged the disappointment: “We definitely need to improve as a team and give credit to the opposition; they played better cricket than us. We were up at certain moments in the game, but we failed to capitalize.”
The result confirms a major shift in the balance of power in Test cricket, with South Africa successfully transforming their mindset and approach to secure a stunning victory in the subcontinent.
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