Eman 
Statistical Breakdown: South Africa Stuns India in Historic Low-Scoring Test Epic at Eden Gardens
ZeeaK 
South Africa secured a remarkable 30-run victory over India at Eden Gardens, marking their first Test win on Indian soil in 15 years. The match was a statistical anomaly, characterised by incredibly low totals and dramatic shifts in momentum. Here is a deep dive into the numbers that define this unforgettable contest.
A Historic Run Chase Failure
The match will be remembered for the tiny target that proved insurmountable for the hosts.
- Second Lowest Defence: The target of 124 successfully defended by South Africa is the second-lowest ever achieved by any visiting team in India. It sits just behind the 107 defended by India against Australia in 2004.
- India’s Lowest Chase Failure: This result marks the lowest target ever failed to be chased down by India in a home test, eclipsing the 147 they couldn’t reach against New Zealand last year.
- Proteas’ Grit: The successful defence of 124 is also the second-lowest target ever defended by the South African team worldwide, narrowly missing their record of 117 against Australia in 1994.
The Batting Drought
India’s failure was underpinned by a lack of substantial individual scores throughout the entire match.
- No Half-Centuries: This Test was the seventh time in history that India completed a home Test without any individual batsman reaching a score of 50 or more. This is only the second such occurrence in the last four decades.
- Lowest Top Score: The highest score achieved by any Indian player in the entire Test was KL Rahul’s 39 in the first innings. Only once before, in 1956, has India had a lower highest individual score in a home Test.
Unique Low-Score Contest
The low-scoring nature of the match created a rare statistical outcome.
- Rare Sub-200 Totals: This was the first Test ever played in India where all four completed innings finished with totals under 200 runs. This feat has been achieved only 12 times in the entire history of Test cricket globally, the last instance occurring in 1959.
- India’s Low Fourth Innings: India’s final total of 93 runs is their fourth-lowest all-out total recorded while chasing in a fourth innings, and their third-lowest total ever recorded in a home Test during the 21st century.
Captaincy and Ground Records
The victory provided milestones for both the South African captain and the historic venue.
- Captain Temba Bavuma’s Mark: This win gives South Africa their tenth Test victory under Temba Bavuma’s leadership. He is the quickest captain in the history of the game to reach this milestone, achieving it in just 11 Tests, surpassing the previous record of 12 Tests held by Ben Stokes and Lindsay Hassett.
- Harmer’s Bowling: Spinner Simon Harmer’s match figures of 8/51 are the second-best ever recorded by a South African bowler in a Test match played in India, trailing only the legendary Dale Steyn’s 10/108 in 2010.
- Eden Gardens Defeats: India’s defeat marks their tenth loss across the 43 Tests hosted at Eden Gardens, making it the venue where India has suffered the most Test defeats at home.
- Lead Squandered: This is the ninth time India has lost a home Test after holding a first-innings lead. It is the second such victory for South Africa against India on home soil.
IMAGE cREDITS : CRICBUZZ
About the Author
