Spinner Simon Harmer claimed six wickets as South Africa powered to a 408-run victory in the second Test on Wednesday, securing their first series win in India in 25 years.
The World Test champions bowled out a struggling Indian side for just 140 while defending a massive target of 549 on day five in Guwahati, completing a 2-0 clean sweep.
The defeat marks India’s heaviest home loss by runs and their fifth defeat in seven home Tests, following a 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand last year.
Harmer, 36, produced outstanding figures of 6-37 to seal South Africa’s only second-ever Test series win on Indian soil—the last coming in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.
Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Marco Jansen pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.
India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three on a pitch with uneven bounce before South Africa once again beat the hosts in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track.
The visitors declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase but the hosts batting once again failed and they never threatened to get close.
India rode their luck early in the day when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped. The batter was on four.
In the next over another overnight batter Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer.
But the relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer soon bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.
The off-spinner then dismissed Dhruv Jurel, for two, three balls later and soon sent back skipper Rishabh Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5.
The batters fell like nine pins on a pitch where South Africa posted 489 after they elected to bat.
India were bundled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288 but South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.
Left-arm quick Jansen returned figures of 6-48 in India’s first innings after the bowler hit a quickfire 93 with the bat.
South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batting charge with his 109, his maiden Test century.
Source: Dunya News