SOUTH AFRICA handed India their heaviest defeat to complete a compelling 2-0 series sweep in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The Proteas won by 408 runs in the second Test to claim just their second series win in India, and their first since 2000 under Hansie Cronje.
(Scores: South Africa 489 (Muthusamy 109; Yadav 4-115) & 260-5d (Stubbs 94; Jadeja 4-62)
India 201 (Jaiswal 58; Jansen 6-48) & 140 (Jadeja 54; Harmer 6-37)
The defeat surpasses India’s previous heaviest loss, which was by 342 runs against Australia in Nagpur in 2004.
It is India’s second home series defeat in two years, after a 3-0 loss to New Zealand last year. Prior to that they had not lost a Test series on home soil for 12 years.
“Four or five batters in this top eight have played literally less than 15 test matches,” India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, said.
“And they will grow, they are learning on the job. They’re learning on the field. Test cricket is never easy when you are playing against a top-quality side. See you’ve got to give them time as well… this is exactly what transition is.”
South Africa had declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase of 549.
But the visitors bowled out India for 140 in 63.5 overs on the final day, with Ravindra Jadeja providing the only resistance for India with 54.
Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets for South Africa, while Aiden Markram took a record nine catches.
“It’s a great feeling, a great effort by everyone to be fair,” Markram said.

“As a group, you’ve got to believe that you can compete against the best in their backyard and get into the battle and see where it gets you… proud of the team.”
The win means South Africa, who became World Test Champions with victory over Australia at Lord’s in June, have won 11 of their 12 Tests under the captaincy of Temba Bavuma.
They won the two-Test series opener in Kolkata by 30 runs and their second Test win sees the Proteas consolidate second place in the current edition of the World Test Championship, while India sits fifth.(BBC Sport).