Stats: SA defend second-lowest target in India in low-scoring epic

South Africa beat India by 30 runs at Eden Gardens to register their first win on Indian soil in 15 years.

124 – The target of 124 is the second-lowest successfully defended on Indian soil by any team (after 107 by India vs Australia at Wankhede in 2004). It is also the lowest target India failed to chase at home, eclipsing 147 vs New Zealand at Wankhede last year, and the second-lowest anywhere after 120 vs West Indies in Bridgetown in 1997.

Lowest target successfully defended in Tests in India

Lowest targets India failed to chase down

1 – Fourth-innings target lower than 124 successfully defended by South Africa: 117 vs Australia at Sydney in 1994 (won by 5 runs).

Lowest target successfully defended by South Africa

7 – This was the seventh instance of India ending a home Test without an individual 50+ score, and only the second in the last 40 years (after Nagpur 2015 vs South Africa). KL Rahul’s 39 was India’s highest score in this Test.

Home Tests for India without an individual 50

12 – Instances of all four innings totals in a Test within 200 runs where all four innings ended in all-outs. This is the first such instance in India.

93 – India’s total is their fourth-lowest all-out score in a fourth-innings chase, and their third-lowest at home in the 21st century (after 46 vs NZ in Bengaluru last year and 76 vs SA in Ahmedabad in 2008).

9 – Instances of India losing a home Test after taking a first-innings lead. This is the second such win for South Africa (after Wankhede 2000), and the third such instance in the 21st century (all since 2024).

8/51 – Simon Harmer’s match figures are the second-best for a South African bowler in Tests in India (after Dale Steyn’s 10/108 in Nagpur 2010). Harmer has four four-wicket hauls in six bowling innings in India.

Aged 36 years & 277 days, Harmer is the third-oldest visiting player to win Player of the Match (after Clive Lloyd in 1983/84 and Keith Fletcher in 1981/82). All three instances came at Eden Gardens.

10 – Wins for South Africa in 11 Tests under Temba Bavuma – the quickest to 10 Test wins as captain (surpassing Lindsay Hassett and Ben Stokes, who took 12 Tests each).

10 – Defeats for India at Eden Gardens in 43 Tests – the most at a home venue, and second-most at any venue after Lord’s (13 defeats in 43 Tests).