Simon Harmer’s six-wicket haul in Guwahati helped South Africa sweep the two-match Test series against India.
Published November 26, 2025
Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa won the second Test by 408 runs en route to their first series win in 25 years in India on Wednesday.
World Test champions South Africa defeated a woeful India for 140 in a close-fought 549-run contest on the fifth day in Guwahati, winning the Test 2-0.
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It is India’s biggest defeat at home by a goal and their fifth loss in seven home Tests since a crushing 3-0 loss to New Zealand last year.
Off-spinner Harmer, 36, had a record of 6 wins and 37 losses as South Africa won a Test series in India for the second time since Hansie Cronje in 2000.
Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 but Keshav Maharaj tripped him and the spinner soon got the last wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Marco Jansen taking a brilliant catch in the deep.
India lost to the top three in the opening Test in Kolkata on a pitch with unstable bounce, but South Africa once again defeated the hosts with a spin game on a batting-friendly course.
Big task for Indian batsmen
On the fourth day, the visiting team declared 260 for 5 in their second innings to chase India’s record, but the hosts’ batting line-up once again failed and there was no sign of them coming close.
India got lucky early on when Jansen caught Sai Sudarsan behind him, but his delivery was declared a no-ball as the bowler overstepped. The batter had a four-base hit.
In the next over, Kuldeep Yadav, another night batsman, was dropped by Aiden Markram at first slip off Harmer and survived a reprieve with a walk.
However, the relief was short-lived for India as the relentless Harmer quickly bowled Kuldeep for five for his first wicket of the day.
The off-spinner then dismissed Dhruv Jhuler for two and three balls and soon sent back captain Rishabh Pant for 13 balls as India slumped to 58 for five.
After South Africa picked out the batsman, he fell like a nine-pin on a pitch that scored 489.
India gave up a lead of 288 runs in the first innings and were conceded 201 runs, but South Africa did not force a follow-up and decided to come back to bat.
Left-arm quick Jansen returned figures of 6 for 48 in India’s first innings after the Indian bowlers hit a quick-fire 93 with the bat.
South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batsmen with 109, his maiden Test century.
