India vs South Africa Test Series
India vs South Africa Test Series – Squads, Stats and Records
India vs South Africa has developed into one of Test cricket’s toughest modern rivalries. The contest combines India’s traditional strength in spin-friendly home conditions with South Africa’s long history of fast-bowling excellence. Their Test rivalry began in 1992 and later became associated with the Freedom Trophy, named in honor of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Through the 2025 series, India and South Africa have played 46 Tests, with South Africa winning 20, India 16 and 10 ending in draws. The latest chapter came in November 2025, when South Africa won both Tests in India to secure only their second Test series victory in the country.
India Squad for the 2025 Test Series Against South Africa
| Player | Role | Batting/Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | Captain, batter | Right-hand bat |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicketkeeper-batter | Left-hand bat |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Opening batter | Left-hand bat |
| KL Rahul | Top-order batter | Right-hand bat |
| Sai Sudharsan | Batter | Left-hand bat |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | Left-hand bat |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-batter | Right-hand bat |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | Left-hand bat, slow left-arm orthodox |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder | Left-hand bat, right-arm off-spin |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Fast bowler | Right-hand bat, right-arm fast |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder | Left-hand bat, slow left-arm orthodox |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder | Right-hand bat, right-arm medium-fast |
| Mohammed Siraj | Fast bowler | Right-hand bat, right-arm fast |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spin bowler | Left-hand bat, left-arm wrist-spin |
| Akash Deep | Fast bowler | Right-hand bat, right-arm fast-medium |
Shubman Gill captained India, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain and wicketkeeper. Nitish Kumar Reddy was initially selected for the series but was released for the first Test to play for India A before rejoining the squad for the second Test in Guwahati.
South Africa Squad for the 2025 Test Series Against India
| Player | Role | Batting/Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma | Captain, batter | Right-hand bat |
| Aiden Markram | Opening batter | Right-hand bat, off-spin |
| Ryan Rickelton | Wicketkeeper-batter | Left-hand bat |
| Tony de Zorzi | Top-order batter | Left-hand bat |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter | Right-hand bat, off-spin |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter | Right-hand bat, leg-spin |
| Zubayr Hamza | Batter | Right-hand bat |
| Kyle Verreynne | Wicketkeeper-batter | Right-hand bat |
| Marco Jansen | Bowling all-rounder | Right-hand bat, left-arm fast |
| Wiaan Mulder | All-rounder | Right-hand bat, right-arm medium-fast |
| Keshav Maharaj | Spin bowler | Right-hand bat, slow left-arm orthodox |
| Simon Harmer | Spin bowler | Right-hand bat, right-arm off-spin |
| Senuran Muthusamy | Spin all-rounder | Left-hand bat, slow left-arm orthodox |
| Kagiso Rabada | Fast bowler | Left-hand bat, right-arm fast |
| Corbin Bosch | Bowling all-rounder | Right-hand bat, right-arm fast |
South Africa selected a balanced squad built around captain Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj. Simon Harmer was particularly important in Indian conditions, while Senuran Muthusamy provided another spin-bowling all-round option.
India vs South Africa Test Head-to-Head Record
| Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 46 | 16 | 20 | 10 |
| South Africa | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 |
South Africa hold the overall advantage with 20 victories. India have historically been far stronger at home, but South Africa’s 2-0 win in 2025 significantly changed the home record and gave them their first Test series victory in India since 2000.
India vs South Africa Test Record by Venue Country
| Venue Country | Matches | India Wins | South Africa Wins | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 21 | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| South Africa | 25 | 5 | 13 | 7 |
| Overall | 46 | 16 | 20 | 10 |
India have found South Africa extremely difficult to beat away from home. Their victories at Johannesburg, Durban, Centurion and Cape Town have therefore carried major historical importance. South Africa, meanwhile, have managed seven Test wins in India, including both matches of the 2025 series.
The Freedom Trophy
The Test series between India and South Africa is played for the Freedom Trophy.
The broader bilateral contest has also been described as the Gandhi-Mandela Series, honoring Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela and the historical links between the two countries. Cricket South Africa confirmed the Freedom Trophy name in connection with the Test portion of the rivalry.
The trophy era has included dramatic series in both countries. India dominated South Africa 3-0 in the four-Test home series of 2015, while South Africa won 2-1 at home in 2017-18 and again in 2021-22.
The 2023-24 series finished 1-1 after South Africa won at Centurion and India responded at Cape Town.
South Africa then produced one of their greatest overseas results in 2025 by winning both Tests in India.
Latest Series – South Africa Win 2-0 in India
The 2025 Freedom Trophy began at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
South Africa won the first Test by 30 runs on a difficult turning surface. Temba Bavuma played an important captain’s innings, while Simon Harmer produced a major bowling performance as South Africa earned their first Test victory in India since 2010.
The second Test in Guwahati was even more dominant.
South Africa scored 489 in their first innings, with Senuran Muthusamy making 109 and Marco Jansen contributing 93. India were unable to recover, and South Africa eventually won by 408 runs.
That became India’s heaviest defeat by runs in Test history and completed a 2-0 series victory for South Africa. It was only South Africa’s second Test series win in India, the first having come in 2000.
India vs South Africa Famous Test Series
1996-97 – India Win at Home
India won the three-Test home series 2-1.
This series included Lance Klusener’s remarkable 8/64 at Eden Gardens, which remains the best innings bowling figures by a South African against India in Tests.
2001-02 – South Africa Control Home Conditions
South Africa remained difficult for India to beat in their own conditions. Fast bowling, bounce and movement consistently challenged India’s batting on tours during this period.
2006-07 – India Win Their First Test in South Africa
India created history at Johannesburg in December 2006 by winning their first Test match on South African soil.
The victory was a major breakthrough and proved India could compete with South Africa’s fast bowlers away from home.
2007-08 – Virender Sehwag’s 319
The Chennai Test of 2008 produced one of the greatest innings in the rivalry.
Virender Sehwag scored 319 from 304 balls, the highest individual Test score in India-South Africa history. His innings included 42 fours and five sixes and remains one of the fastest triple centuries in Test cricket.
2015 – India Dominate at Home
India won the four-Test series 3-0.
Spin dominated the series, particularly Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. South Africa were bowled out for only 79 at Nagpur, one of their lowest Test totals against India.
Ashwin finished the Nagpur Test with match figures of 12/98, one of the finest bowling performances in the rivalry.
2017-18 – South Africa Win 2-1
South Africa won the first two Tests at Cape Town and Centurion.
India responded with a memorable 63-run victory at Johannesburg on a difficult pitch. Despite losing the series, the result helped India retain their position at the top of the ICC Test rankings.
2021-22 – South Africa Come Back From 0-1 Down
India won the opening Test at Centurion, raising hopes of a first Test series victory in South Africa.
South Africa responded by winning at Johannesburg and Cape Town, taking the series 2-1.
The comeback reinforced South Africa’s outstanding home record against India.
2023-24 – Centurion and Cape Town
South Africa dominated the first Test at Centurion, winning by an innings and 32 runs. Dean Elgar scored 185 in his farewell series, while Kagiso Rabada took five wickets in India’s first innings.
India responded in Cape Town, where Mohammed Siraj took 6/15 as South Africa were dismissed for 55.
India won by seven wickets in a Test lasting only 107 overs, making it the shortest completed Test by balls bowled at the time.
Most Runs in India vs South Africa Tests
| Player | Team | Runs | Highest | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1,741 | 169 | 42.46 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 1,734 | 201* | 69.36 |
| Hashim Amla | South Africa | 1,528 | 253* | — |
| Virat Kohli | India | 1,408 | 254* | — |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 1,334 | 217* | 39.23 |
| Rahul Dravid | India | 1,252 | 148 | 33.83 |
Sachin Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in the rivalry with 1,741 runs, only seven ahead of Jacques Kallis. Kallis averaged 69.36 against India and scored seven centuries, matching Tendulkar’s record for the most hundreds in the matchup.
Best Batting Performances
| Player | Score | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virender Sehwag | 319 | Chennai | 2008 |
| Virat Kohli | 254* | Pune | 2019 |
| Hashim Amla | 253* | Nagpur | 2010 |
| AB de Villiers | 217* | Ahmedabad | 2008 |
| Mayank Agarwal | 215 | Visakhapatnam | 2019 |
| Rohit Sharma | 212 | Ranchi | 2019 |
| Jacques Kallis | 201* | Centurion | 2010 |
Sehwag’s 319 is the highest individual score in the rivalry. Kohli’s unbeaten 254 in Pune is India’s second-highest, while Amla’s 253* remains South Africa’s highest individual score against India.
Most Wickets in India vs South Africa Tests
| Bowler | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble | India | 84 |
| Dale Steyn | South Africa | 65 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 50+ |
| Javagal Srinath | India | 40+ |
| Morne Morkel | South Africa | 40+ |
| Kagiso Rabada | South Africa | 40+ |
Anil Kumble leads the all-time wicket list with 84 wickets against South Africa. Dale Steyn is South Africa’s leading bowler in the matchup with 65 wickets from 14 Tests at an average of 21.53.
Best Bowling Performances
| Bowler | Figures | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lance Klusener | 8/64 | Kolkata | 1996 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 7/87 | Kolkata | 2004 |
| Dale Steyn | 7/51 | Nagpur | 2010 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 6/15 | Cape Town | 2024 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 7-wicket haul | India | Various |
Klusener’s 8/64 remains the best innings bowling figures in India-South Africa Test history.
The best match analysis belongs to Allan Donald, who took 12/139 at Gqeberha in 1992-93, while Ashwin’s 12/98 at Nagpur in 2015 is one of India’s greatest match performances against South Africa.
Key India Players
Shubman Gill became India’s Test captain in 2025 and led the side in the latest South Africa series. His role at the top of the order is central to India’s transition from the Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli era.
Rishabh Pant remains one of India’s most aggressive Test batters. His ability to counterattack fast bowling gives India a different option in difficult conditions.
Jasprit Bumrah is India’s leading fast-bowling threat. His movement with the new ball, yorker accuracy and ability to reverse swing the older ball make him dangerous both in India and South Africa.
Ravindra Jadeja remains a major all-round weapon in home Tests, combining accurate left-arm spin with important lower-middle-order runs.
Key South Africa Players
Temba Bavuma captained South Africa to the historic 2-0 victory in India in 2025. His fifty in Kolkata was especially valuable because it came on a surface where most batters struggled.
Kagiso Rabada remains the leader of South Africa’s pace attack and has repeatedly troubled India with pace and movement.
Keshav Maharaj provides control and left-arm spin, while Simon Harmer proved especially dangerous in the 2025 series.
Marco Jansen offers a rare combination of left-arm pace, bounce and useful lower-order batting. His 93 in Guwahati was central to South Africa’s 489 in the second Test.
Conclusion
India vs South Africa Test cricket has produced some of the most competitive series of the modern era.
Through the 2025 Freedom Trophy, South Africa lead the overall head-to-head with 20 wins from 46 Tests, while India have won 16 and 10 matches have been drawn.
Sachin Tendulkar leads the batting records with 1,741 runs, Jacques Kallis is close behind with 1,734, and Virender Sehwag’s 319 remains the highest individual score.
Anil Kumble is the leading wicket-taker with 84 wickets, while Dale Steyn leads South Africa with 65.
The rivalry has produced unforgettable moments such as Sehwag’s triple century, Ashwin’s dominance in 2015, India’s first Test win in South Africa, the 107-over Cape Town Test and South Africa’s historic 2-0 series victory in India in 2025.
With both teams now entering new Test cycles under Shubman Gill and Temba Bavuma, the Freedom Trophy remains one of the most demanding bilateral contests in international cricket.
FAQs
How many Tests have India and South Africa played?
India and South Africa have played 46 Test matches through the 2025 series.
Who has won more India vs South Africa Test matches?
South Africa lead with 20 Test wins, compared with India’s 16. Ten matches have been drawn.
Who won the latest India vs South Africa Test series?
South Africa won the 2025 Test series in India 2-0.
When did South Africa last win a Test series in India?
South Africa won in 2025, their first Test series victory in India since 2000.
What is the Freedom Trophy?
The Freedom Trophy is the Test series trophy contested between India and South Africa and is associated with the shared legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
Who has scored the most Test runs in India vs South Africa matches?
Sachin Tendulkar leads with 1,741 runs.
Who has scored the most runs for South Africa against India?
Jacques Kallis scored 1,734 Test runs against India.
What is the highest score in an India vs South Africa Test?
Virender Sehwag’s 319 at Chennai in 2008 is the highest individual score.
Who has taken the most wickets in India vs South Africa Tests?
Anil Kumble leads with 84 wickets.
Who is South Africa’s leading Test wicket-taker against India?
Dale Steyn took 65 wickets in 14 Tests against India.
What are the best bowling figures in an India vs South Africa Test innings?
Lance Klusener took 8/64 at Eden Gardens in 1996.
What is South Africa’s lowest Test total against India?
South Africa were bowled out for 55 at Cape Town in January 2024.
What is India’s lowest Test total against South Africa?
India were dismissed for 66 at Durban in 1996.
Who won the 2023-24 Freedom Trophy?
The two-Test series ended 1-1. South Africa won at Centurion and India won at Cape Town.
Why was the Cape Town Test in 2024 historic?
It lasted only 107 overs and became the shortest completed Test match by overs bowled at that time.
Who captained India in the 2025 Test series against South Africa?
Shubman Gill captained India, with Rishabh Pant as vice-captain.
Who captained South Africa in the 2025 series?
Temba Bavuma captained South Africa to the 2-0 victory.
Rivcky John
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